


Lost Pieces

by Meteorfallen



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: AU, F/M, FFVII Compilation - Freeform, M/M, Pairings Will Be Updated, Time Travel, multiple POVs, multiple heroes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-29
Updated: 2016-05-20
Packaged: 2018-06-05 05:38:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 22,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6691780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meteorfallen/pseuds/Meteorfallen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cloud, the kids, and Tifa are sent back into the past without warning or explanation. Scattered from one another, they watch as unforeseen events take place when they shouldn't be, sending history on a new path. Good and evil alike are working behind the scenes, each trying to prevent the others triumph. </p><p>When old allies can't be reached new ones must take up the mantle in their place. A time travel fic where Cloud is not the only hero, nor is he the one seeking redemption the most. As mysteries start to unravel behind the reason they've been sent back, one thing becomes clear to the time travelers. </p><p>The Nightmare is returning, growing stronger than ever, and heralding Reunion's call once again. </p><p>Hiatus for now, while in the works.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Ground Gave Out From Under Our Feet

**Author's Note:**

> Posted originally on Fanfiction.net but moved and finally able to be worked on and updated again. This is an AU where it is a little Before Crisis and Crisis Core mixed for my needs, leading to the Deepgroud arc and my own events in between. Time travel!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have yet to read any of this at all, you may want to check out chapter seven before going on and bookmark this one for a little while.

Cloud :: Empty Slum Training Ground.

 

                “ _Don’t!_ ”

                Denzel’s yell made Cloud pause. He watched as the stubborn child picked himself up from the loose gravel and wreckage, pushing his trembling body to his feet using his steel pipe.

                “Don’t help me Cloud.”

                He was panting as he spoke, and sweat had his brown curls plastered to his forehead. Despite his fatigue he got back into the fighting stance he often used: both hands gripping his weapon with his knees bent. His cerulean eyes shone with wariness and some trepidation as he tightened his grip on his weapon.

                “You can do it, Denzel!”

                Marlene’s voice drew his attention momentarily. She was waving up at him from where she sat on the remains of a broken column below. Her encouragement seemed to ease his anxiety and give him a second wind. Steeling his nerves Denzel faced Cloud with a determined gaze once again.

                Cloud observed all of this with a vertigo. Denzel may have been small and no older than ten, but in his growing body he carried an unwavering strength to stand back up no matter how many times he got knocked down. Glancing up at the sky, Cloud saw they still had a good hour before Tifa would be expecting them back. He could make them quit today but…all it took was another look at Denzel to see he still had another go in him.

                “…alright. Come.”

                He didn’t have to tell Denzel to watch his footing; the slope of the broken plate’s remains had already caused him to tumble several times since they’d started training. Now he normally only fell when Cloud sent him sprawling.

                Denzel nodded and then charged forward fearlessly. Cloud watched him come and slowly raised his iron rod in his left hand, moving to intercept Denzel’s strike carefully – as not to shatter either weapon like they’d done early this month.

                “Watch how you put your elbows out.”

                Cloud pushed and Denzel had to yield back and come at him again. This time the unwavering boy tried to swing from below to hit him in the side. Iron and steel clashed once more.

                “Better…but still predictable.”

                Cloud honestly still didn’t know how to teach Denzel even after two months of this sparring; he’d just fallen into a routine of letting Denzel work things out for himself and telling him what was a good strategy and what could have been thought out better.

                Again Cloud pushed Denzel back without taking a step and readied his rod for Denzel’s next strike. Denzel had narrowed his eyes at the last push and without warning dropped and rolled, springing to his knees and bringing his pipe around for a strike at the back of his mentor’s knees.

                Reflexively Cloud jumped. The momentum of his swing caused Denzel to lose his balance and tumble onto his side with a slight yelp. Landing back in the same spot he brought his rod around and struck Denzel’s pipe from his hands and sent it cartwheeling through the air – falling from their makeshift arena on the platform.

                When Denzel realized he’d been disarmed he said a curse under his breath that had Cloud’s eyebrows raising. He watched silently as Denzel picked himself up again, this time with shoulders slumped.

                “I don’t get it… No matter what I try I can’t make you move.”

                Two months ago Cloud had promised to teach Denzel how to fight with a sword if he could make him move from his spot in a match. That was after the four months he’d spent being tutored by Tifa, and the month before that begging to be taught how to fight since he’d seen AVALANCHE in action and heard all about how Cloud had taken care of the Bahamut summon.

                Cloud searched for the right words. Truthfully Denzel had surprised him with the last move, but he was at a lost how to explain to Denzel that a move like that left him wide open to a counterattack. In the end he said, “It’s a good way to catch someone off guard…but as you saw, if it doesn’t work you’ll be the one in trouble. Let’s call it a day.”

                Denzel looked at him with something between anxiety and offence.

                “Or…you can go get your pipe and try again.”

                Cloud had disarmed him to stop the fight but once he’d seen Denzel make that strangely familiar expression…

                Relieved, Denzel gave a nod and turned and rushed off to the end where his pipe had gotten slung away.

                “I’ll be right back!”

                Cloud watched him climb and leap from broken ruin to ruin, knowing he wouldn’t fall but worrying he would. Marlene had gotten up and was down below, pointing to where his pipe had gotten stuck and instructing Denzel on how he could get to it.

                Marlene had taken some basic self-defense classes with Denzel from Tifa, but she rarely participated in any sparring classes despite carrying around the slender pipe she’d chanced upon. Which was fine with Cloud.

                “Sometimes,” he’d told her once after scaring off some thugs from entering Tifa’s bar, “if you just carry a big stick it won’t matter if you speak softly.”

                Being a peaceful child, she’d taken to the saying quite literally; she brought her pipe with her whenever she would go somewhere by herself – which was rare, as Denzel had appointed himself her personal escort and the two were inseparable lately.

                “You almost got it Denzel,” she called from below. “Just a little further to your left!”

                Denzel had stretched out on his stomach and reached his fingertips out for the pipe, just inches from being able to grab it.

                “Almost…!”

                Cloud was about to head over and help him to retrieve it when he heard the low roar of an approaching engine. He glanced to the east and saw a motorcycle come flying over a ramp of fallen stone and skid around a junk pile of rusted barrels, lining up and accelerating in their direction.

                Instinct took over and he leapt from the platform down to the ground, walking toward his own bike and more importantly putting Marlene and Denzel at his back. Marlene, having noticed the oncoming person as well, looked at him with troubled brown eyes.

                “Just stay back.”

                “Mm.”

                She moved to climb up the incline behind her, heading to where Denzel was still sprawled out and desperately close to reaching his pipe.

                As the rider continued to advance, Cloud observed them.

                The motorbike was an older model and rumbled with a busted muffler, and was a faded dark blue. The rider wore a white cowl and cloak that obscured their identity, putting Cloud further on edge. He released the iron rod and instead turned slightly, by no means hiding the giant Fusion Sword on his back.

                The motorist finally slowed down to a skidding halt some yards away, stopping to watch him. The man gave no sense of malice straddling their bike, but something in the back of Cloud’s mind buzzed slightly with unease. With the kids behind him, he decided to not take any chances.

                “I don’t care who you are or what you’re here for. Leave.”

                The rider said nothing; they calmly climbed off their motorbike and stood before it. Their white material fanned around them from the breeze, and dust collected on the hem.

                The hooded stranger raised a hand out in front of him slowly, as though to show they were unarmed. A purple flash appeared when they opened their palm, and then at both sides of the unknown adversary two identical creatures materialized.

                They looked similar to griffons, but were only knee height and had no discernable face. One’s fur was a vibrant plum with red streaks, and the other was its inversed clone.

                With a snap of his fingers, the beasts took flight and circled overhead like buzzards. From above, they seemed to focus on Cloud solely.

                _A new kind of summon?_

Cloud hadn’t felt the mysterious man cast anything. Drawing his sword he split it into two and kicked off the ground slashing his blades and just missing both creatures by inches. Even having come so close to death, both faceless creatures continued to fearlessly dart around.

                Turning his eyes to the real enemy, Cloud ignored the feathered monsters and charged the Summoner. The caster moved back hastily, bumping into their motorbike before Cloud came to a halt at Marlene’s sudden cry. Turning, he saw one of the winged creatures had flown up higher and thrown something spherical at the kids.

                It had busted against an iron beam above them and shattered. From it came a mysterious purple smog that spread like wildfire through the air. Marlene tackled Denzel down, who’d been on the verge of standing after successfully grabbing his pipe.

                In a furiously powerful leap, Cloud flew through the air and cleaved through both monsters in an instant. He landed among the mist before the creatures could even fall. A giant sweeping arch of his sword did nothing to dispel the electrified haze around him and so he harnessed his sword and reached for where Denzel and Marlene should have been. Ribbon wasn’t reacting on his arm and the air felt fresh so he knew it wasn’t poison around him – but he wanted to take the kids to safety immediately nevertheless.

                _I can’t believe I was so careless…_

                As he reached he suddenly stumbled. He’d known before entering the smog where to find the kids, but now he was inside his senses were telling him the mist was far larger than he’d anticipated.

                “Take my hand! Marlene! _Marlene!”_

Cloud tried to take another step toward Denzel’s voice but his foot stumbled again and he was falling, unable to grab ahold of anything around him. For a brief moment, he felt his gloved hand skim across something before it vanished from his grip.

                “My ribbon!”

                Marlene’s voice seemed to speed right by him as he fell.

                Then with a thunderous clap of sound and energy, Cloud found himself weightless and directionless. He was staring up at the sky with confusion, before gravity returned. He twisted in midair, prepared to land gracefully among the ruins around him when in alarm, he saw he was hurling toward an expanse of water.

                Despite his shock, he instinctively spun to survey the area for the kids. His dread rose when he didn’t see them falling around him. He shouted their names just before he had to brace himself before he slammed into the water and submerged.

 

.

 

.x.x.X.x.x.

 

.

 

Denzel :: Empty Slum Training Ground.

 

                _I almost got it…_

The pipe was just within his reach.

                _Wait for me Cloud… I almost…have it… Come here you dumb scrap metal piece of junk…!_

Denzel wanted to go once more with Cloud. He wanted to make him proud – wanted to surprise him again like he had this last time. He knew he could do it too. He’d amaze Cloud yet…and then when he finally learned how to fight with a sword he’d… He’d finally have the courage to ask Cloud what had been plaguing him for months now.

                The painful twist in his chest caused him to stretch further and he managed to slip his fingers around the pipe. The sudden move caused him to lose his balance and he began to slide down into the crevice with wide and alarmed blue eyes, but sudden small hands seized the back of his legs and he glanced back to see Marlene’s smiling face.

                “You got it?”

                Grateful, he smiled and let her help pull him back from the ledge.

                Marlene dusted herself off and stood up as he asked, “Where’s Cloud?”

                With a hum, she gestured down toward the ground.

                “With the cloaked man… Ah!” Her voice trailed off as something caught her attention.

                Getting his knees under him, Denzel was pushing himself up when Marlene suddenly flew at him and tackled him down.

                “Mar-”

                Above them something shattered like glass and a swift vibrant haze appeared, blocking the sky out in violet shades all around them.

                It reached them before either of them could cry out and what should have been stone against his back suddenly gave and disappeared. He and Marlene were falling – he grabbed ahold of her and held her close against his chest – expecting that they’d slam into the ground at any moment and planning to cushion the fall for her.

                An abrupt and intense wind blew their bodies apart so that they were only holding onto each other’s hand.

                “Take my hand! Marlene! _”_

He reached for her other arm and she fearfully tried to grab ahold of him but missed. Then with a flurry of pink Denzel saw her hair ribbon get yanked from her hair and get carried off.

                “My ribbon!”

Instinctively she reached for it – her lunge made him lose his grip and she slipped through his fingers with a silent yelp.

“ _Marlene!_ ”

Denzel screamed Cloud’s name for help just as a giant explosion went off, and Denzel found himself staring down at the ground from _very high up._

For a moment he felt his heart freeze in his chest as his body seemed to levitate, but then he began to fall. Faster and faster, plummeting down toward a market place of colorful stands and small shops. Cloud had taught him how to fall from large heights before but as he plummeted toward the ground he could only remember one tip from it all – and it wasn’t even Cloud’s.

_You’re not enhanced like Cloud. You’ve got to be more careful – cover your head next time!_

Letting go of his pipe he brought his legs up and put his arms around his head, bracing for impact. Then with a _whoosh_ he slammed into an unforgiving surface and was knocked out.

 

.

 

.x.x.X.x.x.

 

.

 

Marlene :: Empty Slum Training Ground.

 

                Marlene hadn’t been scared until she lost ahold of Denzel and her ribbon. She’d never liked any sort of ride that wasn’t gentle, and being tossed around blindly frightened her. She called out for Denzel, Cloud, and for a brief moment, she whimpered for Tifa even though she knew she wasn’t nearby.

                Then before she could register what was happening, she saw a flash of light and found herself in the sky, looking down at curious looking trees spread out before her. For a moment, it was as if she was flying – but then gravity kicked in and she yelped shrilly as she fell on a collision course with the closest tree.

                As it drew closer she shut her eyes and locked up tight – something she’d seen Denzel do when he’d slipped off a broken building once. Even so, the branches and limbs struck her unforgivingly as she slammed through them as she fell. She was unconscious before she was even halfway down.

 

.

 

.x.x.X.x.x.

 

.

 

Unknown POV.

               

                She twitched inside the Mako tank, frowning. She felt the Lifestream _clench_ once more, the endless network seemingly interrupted by something once again. Her cells pulsed and she opened her sapphire eyes uneasily. She took a moment to glance down at her hand and flex her fingers.

                It was easier to move now.

                _Just a little while longer, and then I can figure out what’s going on… Until then I need to rest and recover._

As she tried to drift off, her thoughts kept going back to her journey into the past. She hadn’t agreed to be sent back, even after all she’d learned – and had hoped Vincent would have come back in time to rescue her from her former associate, but it was no use dwelling on it now… Yes, for now she had gather her strength once again if she was to have any hope of completing the mission she’d been given. Now that she was here, it would be foolish to not try to reach out. She had information that was of absolute importance for the fate of this world.

                She moved to look down at her hand again and flexed her fingers before closing her eyes once more. The toll the journey had taken on her, both from the Materia and reaching this place…

                _Just a little longer, and then I’ll be strong enough to get you out of this place Vincent._


	2. Gillian's Past

Genesis :: Banora Orchards.

 

                Genesis had left the factory and flown to clear his head… He had landed a few minutes ago and was walking under the trees, quoting the LOVELESS Acts to himself to still his anxious fragment. He rested his free hand over it, willing the pinch and anxiety to fade. It had started ever since dismissing his false parents – growing steadier. Hollander claimed it was from Degration, and Genesis refused to fathom the thought it could possibly be regret.

                He reminded himself he needed to head back _again_. He had renegade SOLDIERs to lead and clones to command – a new assault on Shinra to orchestrate and an apple to offer Angeal. He had no doubt his friend would come and no doubt he would accept. A clone had informed him Angeal had arrived near half an hour ago and was somewhere among the orchards around here. Knowing his friend, Angeal was likely collecting his thoughts before going to see his mother, and then to see his dearest friend afterward. Genesis had flown off shortly after to clear his head. Now it was time to go back and welcome Angeal when he got done getting answers from his mother and came to see him.

                He put away LOVELESS and was about to take flight when a crackle of thunder seemed to ripple across the expanse of sky above a nearby tree. He instantly drew his rapier – having no idea of his enemy but ready to banish it away immediately regardless – when pain sprung up from his lower back and centered along his shoulder blades. He endured it with a grimace – only to become openly shocked to hear a young and feminine yell and the tumbling of a body falling through tree limbs.

                In mere moments a form landed underneath a Banora tree and rolled from its trunk – obviously unconscious or dead. Seeing it as a young child, Genesis moved forward instinctively and knelt at her side as he glanced up – seeing violet tendrils of some vapor fade from above the tree limbs. He frowned – searching – but saw no enemy in sight.

                He brought his gloved hand to the child’s throat and felt for a pulse. Feeling one and seeing her neck wasn’t snapped he gently rolled her over onto her back. She was a cute girl – very young however and not from the village as far as he could tell. She spotted numerous swelling and darkening bruises from her one-way trip, and Genesis couldn’t comprehend where she’d come from. He was certain all the villagers had left Banora after he’d gotten rid of his disgraced captors and he had been certain he found a secluded spot in the orchards by himself.

                “By what mystery of fate or guidance of the Goddess have brought you here…to me of all people?” The child whimpered softly, for a moment nearly regaining consciousness before her head lolled to the side.

                Genesis looked back up at the sky and then around the orchard. _I feel a strange energy in the air… Something out of place and unusual…_ The weirdest thing was he felt two conflicting sensations. One was calm and disappearing and was all around him – the other felt offal and he’d only sensed it for a moment and from a great distance.

                Looking at the child he mumbled, “What am I to do with you…” At that moment, a single Banora White fell from the tree and bounced off a nearby root to roll down the girl’s arm and land in her half clenched hand. Awed, he felt his sudden apprehension slide away.

                “The arrow has left the bow of the Goddess… This is certainly a sign for something – but what is it you’re trying to tell me…? I have no need of a small child… Still… You’ve encroached into my story and I shouldn’t leave you with a bad piece… I’ll heal you – but only once. My magic restores aren’t replenishing in the ways they used to. This will be my good deed to you – and to see…if by chance, our paths shall meet again.”

                He raised his hand over her still body and gathered energy before he remembered Hollander had his mastered Curaga for something… Instead he withdrew from his coat a potion and held it up to her lips for her to drink. She choked slightly and spilt some of the drink, but a good enough portion went down to fix any dangerous injuries he couldn’t see and fade her bruises away.

                “There. I think I’ve done well enough for you, haven’t I?”

                He moved her to sit her against the trunk of the tree she’d fallen from and noticed something flutter down behind him. He turned and saw a pink hair ribbon. He gingerly picked it up and inspected it, surprised to feel a faint enchantment on it – familiar enough with this particular one to know it was meant to ease strain from casting.

                “What a peculiar thing for a child to have… You should hold onto it more securely from now on.” He laid it across her skirt and turned away. His muscles were aching and his wing wanted to be free. It was time to head back and plot Shinra’s downfall and…

                A vision came to him of fire and explosions and the destruction of Shinra. The building crumpled away and The Plate fell… Ruination was everywhere – and at the center of the carnage was…

                He staggered slightly before he shook the thought away. _No, it is time to head back and welcome my old friend… I’ve been gone longer than I had planned. No more wasting time. I have my role to play and I shalt push it off any longer._

                Forcing himself to focus, he took to the skies and flew back toward the Banora White factory, trying to dissolve the last thoughts of the vision and the ache in his heart. The girl beneath the Banora tree was already nothing but a distant memory to him now.

 

.

 

.x.x.X.x.x.

 

.

 

Angeal :: Banora :: Banora Orchards.

 

                It was strange how the world, once so clear cut…was nothing but colors of grey now. He’d given so much to Shinra – his whole life… His pride, his honor…his dreams. But something was amiss. A darkness that had risen up and threatened his once unyielding beliefs and loyalties.

                That was why he must speak with his mother and learn the truth of his origins. He needed to know the whole story – to be able decide on what path he would take from here on out. Be it one beside Genesis, his oldest and dearest friend, or back at Sephiroth’s side with Zack – Shinra’s side against Genesis’…

                No matter what road he would be led down, Angeal decided besides the truth, the answers he sought… He wished for his mother’s approval. He’d staked his honor to her when he joined Shinra – if he were to desert and leave it behind… Her consent was a must.

                He was ready to leave the orchards of Banora behind, the ghost images of him and Genesis playing and around the trees as children, when he noticed that he saw a real child – no one from his memories – lying propped up against a nearby tree.

                Immediately he went to her side and knelt down. The villagers had already all evacuated the area – he’d come across a straggler who’d explained what Genesis had done and how no one but Gillian remained in the village besides Genesis and his ‘soldiers.’

                The girl was unconscious, but gentle nudging showed she was alive, if not slightly scuffed from something. From the few leaves and twigs on her, it seemed likely she’d fallen from the tree behind her. Though how had she gotten propped up like this…?

                He hesitated for a moment, but then gingerly picked her up. The orchards were genuinely safe, but… With the clones around monsters could be attracted to the area. He had no choice but to take her to a safer location, and the only one he could think of at the moment was his mother’s.

                Making sure not to jostle her carelessly, he let his wing emerge and took to the air. As always it was a startling experience and he wondered if he would ever get accustomed to it. He almost wished he wouldn’t.

                The trip was a short one, and he touched down not long after and knocked on his mother’s door. A few moment’s later Gillian opened the door – looking even older than what he had remembered, but she’d always been aged in her own way.

                “Mother.”

                A soft smile lit Gillian’s lips, but her eyes were sad.

                “I was expecting you, Angie… Genesis told me you would be coming.”

                Frowning, he asked, “So he has been here…? He hasn’t done anything to you has he?”

                Shaking her head, Gillian eyed the little girl in his arms as she let him inside and closed the door behind him.

                “You know Genesis would never dare harm me, Angie… Though that safe safeguard did not protect his parents from his wrath… Who is this poor dear? She isn’t from the village.”

                “I found her in orchards. She’s a little injured, but it doesn’t seem serious… I didn’t know where to take her.”

                “Set her down on my bed. I’ll look after her. I know…you have somewhere to be.”

                Angeal moved into the small room he remembered so well and gently laid the small child down after pulling aside the cover, and then gently covering her tiny body. He came back into the main room to see Gillian had sat down and started peeling a dumbapple.

                “I do have somewhere to go… But first, there are questions I need answered.”

                “…I thought as much. What is this all about Angie? Genesis would not say much, only that he was on a road only you could follow him down… Then he killed his parents and chased away the villagers with those strange soldiers. What has happened?”

                Leaning against the wall and crossing his arms, Angeal took a deep breath and tried to collect his own thoughts as he said, “Mother… Will you tell me the truth about how I was born?”

                Gillian sat at the kitchen table staring at her fruit peeling knife, half covered with the curling strands of a Banora White. Ever since he’d broached the subject minutes before, she’d stopped peeling and had looked downcast into her lap where she held the partially peeled apple. He rested against the wall with his arms crossed as the long moments came and went. Only when the silence had stretched so long it had become oppressive did Angeal break it.

                “Mother.”

                He knew he had to be stern with her as he saw her flinch. He had to know what she knew, and how she’d really been involved. There was too much at stake to let her ride out the silence… As much as he would have liked to.

                Gripping her knees, Gillian finally looked up.

                “I’m sorry you had to find out about it, dear.”

                Her voice was soft, but she might as well have been yelling. Angeal closed his eyes and let the back of his head hit the wall.

                “…I knew it was your signature on those papers, but I hadn’t…wanted to believe… Why, Mother? Why did you do something like this? _What_ was the reason?”

                His mother had always been a giant to him, even long after he’d outgrown her. She held her chin high even through their poorest times, and her broad shoulders had never bowed besides the time his father died. Even her face, as lined with wrinkles as it was, always made him think of his mother as someone ancient – someone wise who deserved to be respected.

                Now though, her chin was tight like the downwards creases around her mouth. Her shoulders seemed to have become unbearably weighted down in a few moments, and her expression was pinched as if in great discomfort. She looked down at the table when she spoke.

                “…I used to work with Shinra in the science division.”

                Angeal felt his breath get stripped from his lungs, even if he’d guessed along these lines already. He wanted to shout his questions out but only gripped his arms tighter. He knew there wasn’t any need to, she was willing to speak. His mother looked up with a sigh, staring at the dumbapple curls.

                “Things were different then than they are now, Angeal… Back then, I was considerably younger and you probably wouldn’t have recognized me as you do now. I was motivated by research and little more. My desire to understand the genetics of the unknown is what drew me towards the project and the eyes of the ones testing it.

                Back then, talk of Cetra and Ancients and what they were… It was perhaps the equivalent of joining SOLDIER for those of us among the science division. Of course SOLDIER wasn’t invented then, just sought after. I was just an assistant in the science division, hardly any one of notice… But I did know my way through genetics and had helped solved several abnormalities that would appear in some of Shinra’ soldiers at the time – I was often down in the med rooms near as often as I was in the laboratories, you could say.

                It was after I’d helped discover a particularly strange white blood cell increase in a lab medic’s blood and help restore it that I was formally introduced to Professor Hollander, one of the three scientists researching the Cetra under the esteemed Professor Gast. We got along well enough for the most part and found that our methods, when combined, showed a higher efficiency in our work. From solving complex genetic code to helping build modules to try and replicate thousand year old DNA.”

                She paused for a moment to pick her knife up and began to meticulously finish carving the apple. She seemed lost in thought when she spoke next.

                “Somewhere along the way, I agreed willingly to be the participant in Hollander’s project. Though I don’t try to disguise it with that word – it was an experiment. Using the few cells we had from the Cetra being known as Jenova, Hollander injected her DNA into my bloodstream after finding I had a possible compatibility to it. This was done as I possess recessive traits, and it was the belief that because of this, a Cetra’s traits would be more likely to fuse with my own as tests and research had concluded the Cetra possessed an unusual and almost always dominant trait.

                The experiment went off without a hitch, which was curse and blessing all at once. I suffered no negative side effects of any kind – if anything, my immune system developed a slight increase. However, besides that, there was no good outcome as well and the project, named after me – Project G – was labeled a failure and would have been swept under the rug if not for an expecting family’s sudden intervention.

                They came to Shinra seeking help. The wife had apparently miscarried a child once and suffered a stillbirth another time, and were desperate not to have their next heir die. Hollander convinced the family to allow my cells, now with Cetra cells, to be injected into the unborn fetus. My blood was the correct type with the baby’s, and it seemed too risky to inject the unborn with Jenova cells when we still didn’t know enough about the risks.

                The hope of injecting the fetus was to create a stronger immunity system within the child and strengthen the amniotic fluids that keep the child, and in some cases, the mother, healthy. They consented with the procedure and the terms that followed it. No outward signs occurred of improved development, and the project was scrapped again. The family went back to their home with false reassurances that the child would be born healthy – as well as a considerable care package, but no one truly knew what would happen.”

                At this Gillian sighed, her brows coming together. It was in moments like this Angeal really saw that despite his hard worked for physique and large frame, he looked more like his mother than anyone else. He had her forehead and facial expressions when stressed or thinking.

                When his mother spoke again, her voice was strange. It had gone from near emotionless to tipped with turmoil, and her frown refused to dissipate.

                “It was after that moment, when those parents were filled with unbased promises of a healthy child that… It was like really waking up. Until then it really had been an experiment, with no evil centered on that word. It was science and discovery… I had willingly added myself in the sake of unraveling the genetics mysteries of the past, but it changed based on the deception that was placed on that family…and meeting a certain man that had driven them to Shinra.

                He was a large man, broad shouldered, strong enough to have easily made it into Shinra had he any inclination to want it. But no, for being huge he acted with care, and although clumsy he was very humble. He had great strength but he rarely ever used it except for working in the fields or hauling heavy loads of fruit.”

                At this Angeal tensed all over again and realized he’d started holding his breath. He let it out slowly as he listened to her keep going.

                “He was noisy too – had a deep voice that carried. You could always tell when he was in the medical checking up on the two he’d brought into the ward. But he rarely shouted – he’d just been given a large voice to boot. Eventually I began to desperately want a life away from Shinra, more and more so as I heard tales of the experiments leading into dangerous territory. So, forsaking the place the science division was becoming, I ran away with this odd farming man and the two he took back with him. They of course didn’t recognize me – a woman of science was a foreign thing to them and they hadn’t paid any attention to me, someone with female genitalia.”

                She chuckled at this, but it was saddened. It panged Angeal to hear it, but it panged him to hear her talk of her past even more. He wanted to comfort her, but he was conflicted over her words. The things she’d done and agreed to were not the things he knew about his mother. They weren’t things _his_ mother would ever do. She looked at him now, with her stern brown eyes.

                “I settled down here in Banora with him – your father as I’m certain you’ve guessed. I had you here and not once did I ever look back.”

                Angeal said nothing as he thought all of this over. Her past was sad and obviously still troubled her. He hadn’t realized she’d always been carrying around these giant burdens in her past. Steeling himself but yet not able to ask the personal details he wanted to, he asked the easier questions first.

               “Earlier…you said there were three of main scientists who worked under Professor Gast. I know of Hollander and Hojo, but who was the other?”

_Could they possibly hold the information to making Genesis well again?_

               “Ah. His name was Grimoire, I believe…and unlike Hollander and Hojo, he didn’t exactly work under Professor Gast if I recall. While both Hollander and Hojo studied the cells of Jenova and the possible outcomes of making a hybrid, half human half recreated Cetra, he worked more in the myth department… But being a woman of science once upon a time I say now the word used was _theories_ of Jenova and the Cetra race. I knew little of him, but from what I saw he was both an intellectual and kind man; a rare breed.”

               “Was?”

               “Yes… I heard he met with an unfortunate accident in his lab. He shielded his assistant from a rogue experiment or a blast of some kind… The details were classified, and although I only met his assistant once, she was clearly too distraught over the experience to speak of it. Hollander, when he showed up here once when you were still very young, told me not long after I had left Grimoire’s intern disappeared and I can only conclude if she wasn’t able to run away…”

               She trailed off and Angeal could guess the rest without it being said. But to his surprise, she continued.

              “She probably found something that made her a threat to a higher position in the science division, or she was silenced for some reason or another… Her thirst for knowledge was probably greater than my own as theories have a strange way of taking off and defying logic, while as genetics can be improved and explained more thoroughly…”

                _That means it really is only Hollander, Hojo, and possibly my mother who might have any hope of curing Genesis – and quite possibly myself._

His next question wasn’t as easy.

                “If you ran away from Shinra, how come Hollander used to pay us a visit when I was a child? Something isn’t adding up.”

                “It’s understandable why you’re confused. I was shocked when he arrived as well, but he came not baring a threat but…an ultimatum. Shinra wasn’t as powerful as it is today and was still making an empire for itself. They had no desire to drag me back, as I wasn’t entirely needed. Anyway, the deal was to allow Hollander to monitor my vitals – and you, as I’d become pregnant – to observe and record your growth and development. Running was futile at this point; I wasn’t heavily pregnant but that would eventually change. I also simply didn’t want to run as my husband’s life was here in Banora and he should not have to suffer through losing his family when he’d been so excited to have one… So with little choice, I consented – as long as it would only be observation. I was clear about not allowing any sort of tests to be done on you prenatal or post. That’s how Hollander came to be in your childhood those few early years.”

                “Why were they interested in me, then?”

                Resisting a sigh, Gillian calmly said, “Because I’d been injected with cells for the project, and they wanted to know how those cells would affect you. The other child after all had been injected with my cells and was not my natural child. They wanted to know if there would be a difference.”

                Angeal absorbed all of this for several moments. Looking at how tired she’d gotten from the conversation, it was easy to see how much this conversation was tiring her. She looked years older every second. Already Angeal could feel any anger and resentment he’d had toward her slowly ebb away.

                “Alright then… Mother, what happened to that other child? You said you left Shinra with Father, but…” His sneaking suspicion had only grown during her story. She seemed to have been waiting for this question, as she nodded slowly.

                “The other child was Genesis. You guessed, yes?”

                He nodded, having assumed so already.

                “His parents are the couple I spoke of. The same couple that sought Shinra for help. Your suspicions are also right. I left to be with your father, but I also wanted to do what I could for their child. Though don’t mix up my reasons for it Angeal… It was not a mad woman seeking research data, or simply running away because it finally became convenient. I may have dishonored myself in the past, but never would I do that. I truly loved your father, and it grew overtime as well.”

                When Angeal found he had nothing to say, she continued.

                “His parents however… They had no need of me. Either they truly didn’t recognize me out of my lab coat, or because they did and were wary of me, they didn’t wish for me to be around their child. So I could only witness from afar and await anxiously to hear news of his fate. Thankfully, he was born healthy. Hollander also paid them a visit, but unlike me they welcomed him graciously. They considered him the savior of their baby, and were willing to allow him to check Genesis over the days he came to Banora – the same as you.”

                Angeal ran a hand down his face, not knowing what to ask now. Gillian observed him for some time.

                “You know, it always made me very happy you and Genesis became friends. The day you brought him over, he griped and nick-picked our house and ways, and of course made your father angry – then angrier because he didn’t apologize but instead spelled out just how little our home was… It made me laugh for the first time in a while, I realized that day. All I could remember was how terrified Genesis’ parents were when they went to Shinra, worried if he didn’t die he’d be frail and weak… But here he was, snarky and fiery and obnoxious. I had rarely ever seen such a blessing.”

                “That’s why you invited him back,” Angeal was in shock. That was a horrific moment in his childhood memory. There weren’t many kids Angeal’s age who’d he’d considered himself friends with, seeing as all of them worked the fields and orchards as well…but Genesis had been the exception. He’d been born wealthy in Banora and hardly worked – thus he was often bored and pranked the other kids. Angeal was the only kid Genesis had never been able to distract from his work or get him unreasonably angry and make him cry. Angeal, likewise, had never been able to successfully chase him away. Looking back now, those memories were a cruel nostalgia.

                “It was as if things came full circle then… A weight left my chest seeing you two boys become friends. I felt as if I had been forgiven for my sins, even if I would never forget them… But now… Now I see I was wrong to have tried to do such a thing when there are still too many things left unsaid.”

                Thinking over what she’d told him, Angeal frowned and looked at her as a sudden sneaking suspicion snuck into his mind.

                “Mother… You told me that Genesis parents had terms they had to agree to and a ‘care package.’ What did you mean by that?”

                Gillian looked weary and she hesitated when she spoke. “The terms for allowing the procedure to occur… The parents had to falsify documents claiming that Genesis was not their naturally born son, and should the experiment they were conducting be a success, they would relinquish him over to Shinra to join the military when he came of age.”

                Angeal had braced himself, but now he blinked uncertainly as he listened.

                “Since they cooperated with the terms, and the follow-ups that would come, Shinra let them leave with a wealthy check that was able to turn their lives around in Banora. They were able to get a better home and distinguish themselves as a ‘noble house.’”

                “….”

                “Angeal?”

                He found it hard to word his next question.

                “Mother… You said you were found not long after settling here, right? Well… Once you became pregnant…”

                She smiled then, thinly and sadly, but something in her eyes looked proud of him.

                “I always knew you were a smart boy Angeal… Yes, there was a similar deal on the table. Even though I’d run away they were willing to work with me some. If I in turn told you I wasn’t your real mother and agreed to the same terms regarding you eventually joining the military, they’d compensate any grievance I’d made against the company. I wouldn’t be paid as much as Genesis’ parents, but the check definitely would have made our lives far easier in terms of wealth dear…”

                She closed her eyes tightly then, as if in pain – or to block tears from falling. When she spoke her voice was livid and raw.

                “But I’m a _damned_ prideful woman, and it angered me and I said some costly things… They retracted the Gil offer and instead told me they’d come _collect_ you for the military once you came of age… Your father had heard the end of our talk when he’d come back and chased off the negotiators… I’m sorry, Angeal. I hadn’t expected your father to work himself ill after that. He was a very great man, and he had your best interests at heart… If I hadn’t been such a spiteful woman I could have given you a better and easier life. Your father one, as well.”

                Angeal couldn’t bare her grief any longer and came to kneel before her, resting his head in her lap. He felt offal as he felt her thin frame tremble from resisting tears. He’d only every seen his mother cry twice in his life; once at his father’s funeral which he could only foggily remember, and again when she’d thought he’d been the boy who’d fallen from a dumbapple tree and broken his neck.

                “No, Mother… It was a hard childhood, but some of my best memories came from it. I forgive you, so please… Calm down. I’m certain you did all that you could do at the time.” He realized he meant every word he said. She’d been everything for him – a mother and a father, a teacher and a student too – she’d raised him and refused to have him grow up believing a lie his entire life. She’d done things in her past that still bothered him, but she was still his mother and he loved her dearly.

                She stroked his hair as she cried quietly above him.

                “Oh, Angeal… I’ve not told you everything. Don’t forgive me just yet.”

                He looked at her with a frown, not understanding how anything she could say would take away his forgiveness. He waited as she dried her eyes. For the very first time ever, including earlier in this conversation, this was the first time he’d ever seen his mother not be able to meet his eyes.

                “Mother?”

                “…when I was younger I… There was a short time when…” His proud mother couldn’t seem to finish her sentence. She’d start, stop, try to start over and end up wordless again. Finally Angeal took a deep breath and stood.

                “Whatever it is, I still forgive you. It must have been…a different time, as you said. I doubt you need to feel so guilty over whatever it is anymore.”

                His words seemed to help her find her voice then.

                “Hollander approached me when I was his intern.”

                He stared at her cluelessly, unsure what she was trying to say. He was well aware she’d worked under Hollander by now.

                “…Angeal… I married Hollander.”

                Angeal heard the words correctly but he didn’t seem to feel anything from them; the words just rolled right over his head.

                “It was a short and formal engagement… No longer than a month… It wasn’t uncommon for marriages to be done for status purposes, and this was one such thing. A very…work oriented situation… But I won’t lie to you Angeal. There was a time, just once, when it was possible you…may have been conceived before I met your father and left with him and found out I was pregnant. The period between the two is…a stretch, but not impossible. I tell you this not to hurt you but…because I don’t want Hollander to try to manipulate you with the information.”

                Angeal still couldn’t bring himself to say anything.

                “When Hollander came and examined me and you, I’d already gotten the divorce papers signed behind his back and he, once delivered them, signed them without wait. He once asked me if I wanted to know the result of the baby’s DNA but I refused the offer. It didn’t matter to me if your blood was or wasn’t Hollanders; he was a scientist and had no want for a child or balls for fatherhood. Your father however, my dear husband, the one I married for love would be your father regardless.”

                Angeal finally processed her words but his tongue felt thick when he spoke.

                “…there’s a chance I may belong to…”

                “No, Angeal. There’s no chance of that at all – you are your own man, and no matter if the blood says Hollander or not, your father was the one who raised you as long as he could until he was called away.”

                She’d stopped crying and her voice had gotten firmer at the end; some of her color and composure had returned and she no longer seemed so frail.

                “Mother… I, I’m having a hard time…”

                Her gaze softened.

                “I know, Angeal… I know what you want to say… It had seemed like a reasonable arrangement when I’d been younger and hadn’t yet met your father. Everyone had their eyes on Gast and the people involved with the project, and back then Hollander…well, he was never a very handsome man, but he was far more comely. His rivalry with Hojo only ruined him… I realized once I’d met your father and spent time with him I’d made a mistake.

                He offered to take me away from Shinra, and I couldn’t find any logical reason strong enough to stop myself; so I went with him. I became his wife not long after and we lived peacefully; I found out I was pregnant when Hollander appeared at our door once that dark suited man had been chased away… You came along shortly after, we raised you the best we could together until your father had to leave us, and then eventually by your own desires… You and Genesis left Banora to make it big in Shinra as SOLDIERs.”

                Angeal let all he heard settle in his stomach. It felt like a heavy lead ball had formed there. He recounted his mother’s story, took a deep breath and really soaked it in. He really hadn’t known about her past before, and he’d come to learn her history… Now that he had it he wondered what he should do with it. Eventually all it took was another look at his mother to make his shoulders lose their tension and lingering resentment fade away.

                “I still forgive you, Mother. You… You really went through a lot; I understand that.”

                Those words seemed to comfort her more than his earlier gestures had. She stood up and he embraced her, glad he was as big as a man as he thought himself to be.

                “I knew you would never harm me Angeal, but I feared you’d want to disown me.”

                “Of course not, please Mother… Don’t be foolish.”

                She sat back down wearily, shaking her head.

                “I only wish… I just wish Genesis could have been reasoned with before he killed his parents and drove the villagers away… But now I’m afraid if he learns the truth now, after what he’s done… He was a good boy, a snarky and dramatic boy, but…a good boy nevertheless.”

                Seeing as his mother obviously needed to shift her thoughts, even if slightly, he followed her lead and moved back to lean against the wall.

                “I’m going to go to him. He’s at the Banora White Factory, isn’t he?”

                Tiredly, she smiled.

                “When he visited, he told me I shouldn’t tell you where he’d be… ‘He’ll figure it out; the Goddess is leading him to his destiny,’ and then LOVELESS again… Haah, still such…a dramatic boy… Though he’s unwell. I barely recognized him under all of his hatred. He did a good job hiding it and acting… But his eyes burn for revenge.”

                Suddenly worried, he asked, “Genesis didn’t hurt you when he stopped by, did he?” Fretting turned to anger at the very idea of anyone laying a hand on his mother.

                “Oh, you know Genesis wouldn’t dare hurt me Angeal… No, he came for answers and to tell me you’d be dropping by soon. I only wished… No, even if I had remembered to tell him about his parents, he was still hiding his grief behind his rage. I doubt I could have done him any good… You’re going to try and save him aren’t you, Angeal?”

                “Yes. I know Genesis isn’t…sane right now, or at least in his right mind… But he has answers I need, and if I don’t go to him I fear he’ll only grow worse. I’m going to try to separate him from Hollander – I have a suspicion he isn’t helping Genesis at all after hearing your story.”

                “I agree. Hollander argued with Hojo years ago; from what I’ve saw of him recently, he’s gotten far worse. He’s only in it for revenge against Shinra. Genesis isn’t and never will be his top priority.”

                Nodding, Angeal went to leave but paused. Finally he turned back and bent to kiss his mother’s cheek.

                “I shouldn’t keep him waiting any longer… I’m going to leave my sword here incase…he sees it as threatening. After what he’s done here I don’t know what state he’s in.” _I want to leave my honor here, in case after this… I cannot keep it any longer._ They were the words he couldn’t bring himself to say.

                Gently, Gillian kissed her son’s forehead from her seat.

                “Alright, dear… Please, be safe.”

                “I will. Goodbye.”

                “Goodbye, Angeal.”

                He turned to leave, shutting the door gently behind him. Only when it closed did he grind his teeth together and glare out at the deserted village. It still saddened him to know all these things now, but he truthfully had forgiven his mother. Hollander on the other hand inspired a powerful smoldering hatred, one he hadn’t known he could fester so strongly. The thought of Hollander putting his hands anywhere on his mother… Then doing nothing for her all of these long years… He hated how he’d no doubt been egging Genesis’ temper on and using it against his friend. Nearly most of all, he hated the idea the dishonest scientist could be his biological father. Angeal tried to compose himself and shake away the red he was seeing.

                He had come for her blessing, but decided she’d given enough for now… She knew the path he was on. When he came back, hopefully with Genesis in toe… He ask for her to give it to him then – and maybe, for Genesis as well. Genesis had killed his own parents, but stayed his hand against Gillian… Part of him still thought fondly of her, and if she gave him her blessing… He knew part of the storm brewing in Genesis would calm.

                As he left on his wings, he didn’t notice inside Gillian listened as he flew away. She waited there for several long minutes before she turned away from the door.

                “Goodbye, Angeal. I promise I won’t burden you for much longer.”


	3. The Path Diverges

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a prelude to suicide theme in this chapter, warning for anyone with a trigger - however the theme tells no depiction of self-harm being done.

Denzel :: Slum Sectors.

 

                He punched the guy as hard as he could in the face, right against the underside of his nose. The man let out a wail and released him. Ducking down, he scrambled through his legs on his left hand and knees before running for all he was worth. The man he had decked swore and yelled,

                “ ** _Greb thet mether fecker!”_**

                Clutching his busted arm, he swerved out of the alley and around the people wandering by. His vision wavered and he almost slipped and fell, but with a gust of breath he kept going. He could hear the men shouting, trying to find him as he ducked his way throughout what he knew was the Wall Market.

                _This shouldn’t be here…this shouldn’t be here…_

Sliding behind a shelf displaying bows and scarfs, he tried to catch his breath and get his brain to stop spinning. No good. Grunting, he flipped onto his knees and retched, choking and shaking.

                His arm hurt so much… It was hard to think. Where was…everyone? For a moment he couldn’t even remember who he was thinking about.

                “Who…”

                Ever since waking up surrounded by strange men, he’d been asked repeated questions over and over again…

                ‘How’d he come from the sky,’ ‘Was he an alien,’ ‘Was that magic,’ and even ‘Could he do it again?’

                Denzel didn’t know what had happened. One moment things had been fine, and then he’d…just lost everyone. The impact from the fall still left him breathless at times. He’d hit the ground so hard he’d _bounced_.

                Pushing himself back up, he sat with his back against the shelf again, ignoring the guy who owned it that was looking at him with unease. He would have cursed at him just to try and frighten him, but he doubted it would have done any good. He wasn’t going to win any fights anytime soon – a sucker punch had been his last resort. It was a good one though, Tifa would surely be proud.

                _Tifa._

                “That’s right… Tifa. Cloud. Marlene… Yeah.”

                He had to find them… They were here, right? They had to be. He wasn’t crazy. They were real. Marlene was his closest friend, and…Tifa and Cloud looked after him. He wasn’t all alone again. They saved him. _He’d find them._

                Achingly, he picked himself up and after checking the area, he limped his way back into the crowd. He didn’t know how long he’d been unconscious, but…he was _starving._ Hurting, yeah, but _starving_ and dying for something to drink. It didn’t even have to be cold or that clean, he’d take it.

                He was starting to sway on his feet when he heard someone shout behind him. He looked over his shoulder before taking off at a dead sprint again, clutching his hurt arm to his chest.

                He’d spent time in The Slums before Cloud found him and took him back to Tifa’s, but he couldn’t recognize where he was. Maybe this was Sector Five? Where could he go to hide? He needed somewhere to lay low for a while, to rest and heal…

                Tiredly, he could only think of one place that might offer safety.

                _Maybe if I go there… I’ll find Cloud again._

 

.

 

.x.x.X.x.x.

 

.

 

Cloud :: Junon Port.

 

                Cloud was _not_ amused. Trying to swim with a giant sword strapped to your back wasn’t impossible, in fact he’d fought underwater with giant swords, but being submerged and in combat was different than continuously lugging it around without having a clear goal in mind.

                It was almost by pure luck and chance that he’d swam far enough in the right direction to see Junon. He still had no idea how he’d ended up here in the first place, or where the kids were – gods he hoped wherever they were they were somewhere safe, and prayed Zack and Aeris would intervene on their behalf instead of his this time…. He’d never get over this if this time he…

                He made himself shake the thought away as he separated the blades into two and stabbed them into the concrete wall before him, pulling himself out of the sea and standing on the blades to give himself a breather. He must have swam for half an hour already. Probably longer…

                To make matters worse, he was certain he could hear gunfire across Junon, and even more disturbing was the fact that Junon, for whatever reason, still had its canon perched on its tower… There even cargo ships still, undamaged and…manned. Last he’d heard Junon’s ships were still having difficulty sailing after all the damage they’d taken.

                _I thought this was all a hallucination, but… Ribbon isn’t reacting to anything… Not only that, but I was definitely in the sea. I smell of salt. This is too vivid to be fake._

He clenched his wet gloves as in front of him as he looked around. It would be easiest to just jump up to the platform ten feet above him, but he wasn’t going to leave the Fusion Sword behind after lugging it so far. That left him with few options.

                Crouching down, he grabbed ahold of the hilts and gathered his strength in his water-logged legs before kicking off the blades hard enough to dislodge them and then pulling upward, digging his heels in before running up the side of the concrete and leaping up to the platform.

                The gunfire had gotten closer, but even so he hadn’t been prepared to not only recognize the fighters’ uniforms, but see the combat taking place. SOLDIERs – actual Third Class and Second Class SOLDIERs in uniforms – were fighting against RAVENS across the dock. He would have assumed it was a stage fight, some sort of entertainment, but nothing was fake about the yells and screams and bloody combat around him.

                _Just what in the hell is going… RAVENS were wiped out a long time ago…they were part of the old AVALANCHE_ – _before Barret took over and we all joined… I foggily remember fighting one when I was only just a trooper still._

“Retreat! RAVENS, fall back! Commander’s orders!”

                Someone was shouting that, and RAVENS and other militia men and women were making a retreat. Only the RAVENS themselves already in combat continued fighting and providing cover for their fleeing comrades. Cloud eyed the area in unease before a prickling sensation started up in the base of his skull.

                At once, he knew he sensed his S cells reacting to something… No, someone.

                _This is…_

Looking up, Cloud knew without a doubt in his mind that _he_ was here. Up on the Junon Canon. Just as he looked an unmistakable slash from Masamune sung through the air, parting clouds above.

                _Sephiroth…_

From the sounds of it, he was fighting someone. The knowledge he was close, in the midst of all this chaos, made him sick. Just exactly what was happening?

                “Freeze! Resist, and we’ll use lethal force.”

                He glanced over at the two cadets training their rifles on him, and the SOLDIER Third with his weapon drawn.

                _Aerith, Zack… What’s going on? Where am I?_

“Place your weapons on the ground and your hands up, immediately!”

                _It doesn’t even look like Junon was hurt by the WEAPON or the Lifestream when it surged from the planet. I guess I should be asking…when am I exactly? This can’t be happening now. It’s impossible._

“Last warning!”

                Cloud eyed the canon above. No matter what was going on, no matter how impossible it all seemed, he was certain it was centered around Sephiroth… His hands twitched as he stepped back between his parted blades, still buried in the ground.

                _This is no doubt Sephiroth’s fault… I only know one thing for certain. If Sephiroth is here, I have to get rid of him. That might be my only way back home._

He placed his hands on his sword’s hilt.

                “Enemy has taken threatening action, engage with extreme prejudice! _Use lethal force!”_

_._

_.x.x.X.x.x._

_._

Gillian   ::   Her Home.

 

                “…are you by chance, Zack the Puppy?”

                The young man blinked in surprise.

                “My son wrote me about you… A young man he was training. Couldn’t sit still and stay focused, as energetic as a little puppy.”

                The man blushed and rubbed the back of his neck.

                Laughing softly, she said, “My son always did like dogs… I guess he made up for the fact we were too poor to have one of our own when he was a child.”

                “Your son has a weird sense of humor, then.”

                “He gets it from his father.”

                The young man continued to embarrassedly switch weight on his feet – unaware this added to his anxious puppy impression in her mind, and yes, she could understand the comparison – before he straightened as his gaze went back to her son’s sword against the wall.

                “…he hasn’t been gone for too long, has he? He told me this sword represented his honor.”

                “The honor of me, of his father… Of himself… His pride, and his dreams. He cherishes these important values, and that is why he rarely will wield it in combat – he doesn’t wish to tarnish it.”

                “…Gillian?”

                Cocking her head to the side, she asked, “Yes?”

                “I’m going to bring Angeal back home.”

                _As optimistic as a puppy who catches the Frisbee._ That’s how Angela described him once, wasn’t it…? Gillian knew more of the path Angeal was on than she liked to admit, but she also liked the determined gaze in this man’s eyes.

                “Angeal is a lucky man to have a protégé as devoted to him as you are… I’m sure there isn’t much you couldn’t do if you put your mind to it.”

                He nodded, brightening.

                “I’m going to go for now, but I’ll stop by before I leave again!”

                She shook her head, signaling there was no need but he only smiled as he paused to admire the Buster Sword once more before closing the door behind him on his way out. Gillian waited for several minutes after he departed before closing her eyes.

                _Angeal… My sins are great. Greater than I can bare. Because of my careless disregard for morals in my desire for knowledge Genesis has become ill and the way he is now… You too are sick, and will only become further burdened by the sins of your mother…_

_I have nothing left to teach you – nothing left to give you anymore. I am only a nuisance to you now and will only hold you back – I may even become a hostage used against you… No matter what, from here on out, I want you to live and follow your dreams – no matter where they take you. If you turn from the company, if you stay… You will have my support to the very end…_

_So please Angeal, understand my reasons. I shall end the shame of our family here, and free you. No, I will free the both of us… I will watch over you from the Lifestream from here on out._

Turning, she gingerly picked up the carving knife and flicked the last shaving off the Banora White apple onto the floor, watching as it fell. She brought the knife up and turned it back on herself.

                _Goodbye, my son. I love you._

As she tightened her grip, prepared with no hesitation, before she could thrust the silence was shattered by the smallest of voices.

                “…hello?”

 

.

 

.x.x.X.x.x.

 

.

 

Angeal   ::   Banora White Factory.

 

                “By the gods, Genesis…what have you done?”

                His friend stood before him, his back turned on him. The factory – it was a bloodbath. A slaughter house of nightmares. Torn and shredded SOLDIER uniforms littered the ground, as did the bodies of Genesis clones. The walls were cracked and broken, and the shrapnel of broken blades and armor littered the ground.

                “What rage… What horrible injustice…would cause you to do this to your own men!? Genesis!”

                The answer he received was not what he was expecting.

                “I didn’t do this, Angeal.”

                Marching forward, he grabbed his friend’s shoulder to make him face him, but wasn’t expecting the look of sheer shock and disbelief on his features. No malice and hatred or hint of lie – just incredulousness.

                “Forty…minutes… Forty-five at the most since I left and cleared my head, and then came back here… There were SOLDIERs in here – trained men, armed to the teeth… My clones among them – enhanced further… But they’re…dead. I just got back before you arrived and when I looked around…this is what…greeted me as well.”

                Genesis pulled away from Angeal, his steps slow and unsure. He knelt down and picked up the bloody and torn remains that once belonged to one of his clones.

                “It was not a man who did this… But a beast… Many beasts… The war of the beasts…”

                Genesis was mumbling to himself and Angeal’s unease grew. He stepped around him and observed the room, now wishing he carried his blade with him. As horrifying as this was, now that he looked at the marks along the walls and the damage on the bodies… He knew Genesis was telling the truth – this was not his handiwork.

                “Hello! Is anybody still alive!? Answer me if you can hear my voice!”

                “No one is alive… I’ve checked.”

                “Well then, check again! They – there’s no way they could have all died in such a short time!”

                Angeal moved around the carnage, grimacing at the slick floor. Some bodies he knew on sight were not worth checking – their injuries would have killed them instantly… Others, he removed their helmets and felt around for any signs of a still weak-beating pulses.

                Genesis moved slowly around the room, still shocked into near useless, but he believed in Genesis. Instinctively if something caught his eye he’d react to it. He just hoped it would be a ‘someone.’

                “Where’s Hollander?”

                “I don’t know… I haven’t seen his body yet.”

                Getting up after shutting the eyes of the clone before him – _gods, even though they aren’t Genesis I’ll never get these images out of my mind –_ he said, “Then that means you haven’t checked everywhere yet. Come on.”

                They left the main room and traveled the hall. It likewise was in ruination, bodies scattered and doors ripped off their hinges. There continued to be nothing but carcasses in the wake of all the destruction.

                “Angeal!”

                Genesis called out, moving several collapsed and dented file cabinets out of the way where Angeal had missed a person hidden underneath. As another clone was revealed, they watched as he coughed and spat blood. Kneeling down on both sides of the clone, Genesis paled uncommonly and Angeal himself grimaced.

                “Soldier, what happened here? Who did this?”

                Looking at Angeal, the SOLDIER clone’s eyes grew increasingly hazy.

                “Monsters… Horrible, terrifying monsters…. Took all of them…kill everyone…else…”

                “Took who? What monsters?”

                “Took…the SOLDIERs…don’t know… I can’t feel anythi…”

                “Genesis, hurry and heal him!”

                Only Genesis looked pained and shook his head. It infuriated Angeal. The man clearly had only gashing wounds – he could be saved! He grabbed Genesis by the shoulder and shook him.

                “Genesis!”

                “ _Angeal._ ”

                His friend’s tone gave him pause, and he saw that a flattened file cabinet still laid across the man from the stomach down, but now that the other ones were moved he realized…with sickened dread…there was only blood beneath and no forms of legs or a torso. Suddenly, he understood why Genesis refused to move the cabinet.

                “What…became of Hollander?”

                “….”

                “H-hey…”

                “Angeal, he’s gone.”

                Genesis stood and dragged Angeal back to his feet. Anger was starting to replace his earlier disbelief, and his fists were clenched so tightly his gloves were creaking.

                “There’s still hope then.”

                “Hope? What are talking about Genesis – they’re all dead.”

                “He said ‘they took them.’ I noticed it at first, but thought it was my imagination. Angeal, have you seen any SOLDIERs lying around here that aren’t my clones and copies?”

                “Now that you mention it…”

                “That means they were ‘taken.’ You don’t just take that many men – there are surely survivors. I’ll be damned if whatever did this gets away with this, Angeal! I will slaughter and raze this enemy to the ground!”

                “It couldn’t have gotten far… Genesis, there are still things we have to talk about but none of that is important now. We have people to save, people who need us. I’ll fight alongside you to bring justice to these creatures – but my sword is back at my mother’s. We must hurry.”

                Genesis nodded and together with a last look of the dismayed sights around them, they hurried from the now abandoned factory and took to the skies.


	4. Against The Clock

Gillian   ::   Gillian’s Home.

 

                “You’ll have to forgive me, Marlene. I’m afraid I’m just not any good…”

                The girl moved her hands up to her plait, feeling the braid and checking her ribbon. She tugged it and seemingly finding it tightly in place turned to smile back at her.

                “Mn-nhm. You did fine!”

                “I only had Angie growing up, so I’m glad I’m capable of this.”

                “Angie is your son?”

                “Yes…”

                “I see. This sword is his?”

                “Yes? You seem like you recognize it.”

                “Well,” hummed Marlene, “you could say there are some similarities…”

                She seemed to have a lot on her mind. Gillian looked back at the carving apple on the table. Just minutes before she’d almost taken her life…she’d completely forgotten about the little girl resting in the bedroom. If she hadn’t woken up and come to investigate, Gillian would have ended her life and thinking about the child stumbling in to find her afterward… She almost committed an even graver sin to her tally.

                She started slightly when the child grabbed her hands and squeezed them. Her big brown eyes made her look older somehow when she was sad.

                “If you give up, nothing will ever have any hope of getting better. Sad times are just sad times.”

                “Pardon?”

                Shaking her head, Marlene smiled.

                “I’m hungry. Can I have an apple please?”

                “Oh…? Ah, of course. Here sweetie, this one is peeled.”

                Instead of taking the one gestured to, she picked up the purple one on the table.

                “What’s this? It _is_ an apple isn’t it?”

                “That’s a Banora White.”

                “Banora White…? But, it’s purple!”

                Chuckling, Gillian agreed, “Yes it is… I think they were named that way because they have a very pure taste. White often means pure. They’re also called dumbapples.”

                “That’s rude. I’m sure you aren’t a dumb apple, Banora White.”

                Marlene sat the purple apple back and accepted the peeled one. She sniffed it curiously before taking a bite. At once her expression lit up.

                “These are delicious! I bet Mama could make these into wonderful juice back at Seventh Heaven!”

                Happily she munched away at the apple as Gillian braided her fingers together and watched her.

                _I’m not used to little girls… Angeal was always an independent child, and Genesis was so hardheaded in doing things his own way… This girl seems very mature for someone so small._

“Seventh Heaven? Is that your home?”

                “Mm! My Daddy is away looking for new power sources, and so I stay with Mama, Cloud, and Denzel. I was with Cloud and Denzel until just a short while ago.”

                _Power sources…? Maybe her Daddy works in Urban Development at Shinra._

“Cloud and Denzel…? Did you get separated from each other? Could they still be in the area?”

                Marlene stopped eating and stared at her Banora White, frowning slightly. She turned it in her hands a few times with a thoughtful expression.

                “No, I don’t think so. I think we got really separated. I have a feeling we aren’t close to each other anymore, but I’m sure they’re out there somewhere…just not around here.”

                As she continued eating, Gillian wondered on what to do with the curious child. Where could she take her, who could she trust her to…?

                “How did you get separated?”

                “Cloud was teaching Denzel how to fight, since Denzel wants Cloud to be proud of him. I was watching them, but then a strange man came and attacked us. We fell away from each other.”

                _A strange man…? Possibly one of Genesis’ clones then._

“Do you think they’re hurt?”

                “I’m sure Cloud is fine. He’s super strong! Denzel… Denzel is really reliable. I’m certain he’ll find a way to be okay. They’re probably worried about me.”

                “Is there anywhere to take you that they’d go to if you got separated?”

                “Hmm… Seventh Heaven, for certain.”

                “Where is that at?”

                “Edge.”

                “Edge? I’ve never heard of it.”

                “Hmm… It’s by Midgar.”

                “Oh… Dear, that’s a distance from here. Banora isn’t too close to it.”

                “It’s fine. Cloud will pick me up. Can I use your cell phone please?”

                “Cell phone? Are they free to the public now? How Shinra advances… I’m sorry sweetie, I don’t have one.”

                “You don’t have one? Oh… Is there one nearby maybe?”

                “Well… My son has something called a ‘PHS.’ I think that’s a cell phone. When he comes back for his sword I’m sure if you ask him nicely he’ll let you use it.”

                “Great! When is he coming back?”

                “I’m sure he’ll come back before much longer.”

                Marlene deposited the remains of the Banora White in the basket before picking up one the she’d had before. She was about to bite into it when she paused.

                “Oh, I’m sorry. This is your last one and I didn’t ask.”

“You can go ahead sweetie.”

                She looked down at her apple for a moment before smiling and holding it out.

                “Can we split it? I may not be hungry enough to eat it all on my own.”

                _Little girls are polite, that’s for sure._

“If you wish, but feel free to eat it. Banora is full of orchards.”

                She was about to take the apple when a loud _thunk_ at the door startled them.

                “Oh… That must be my Angie.”

                She got up and dusted her hands off before heading toward the door. Before she reached it Marlene lurched out and grabbed her hand.

                “Marlene?”

                The little girl was clutching her hand tightly, little fingernails digging into the Banora White in her other hand. She had a hard frown.

                “Does your son normally knock before coming in?”

                Confused, she slowly said, “Yes.”

                _Thunk._

She went to go to the door again, but Marlene pulled her back once more and shook her head furiously.

                Uncertain what the girl was thinking, she instead turned to the door and said, “Angeal, come in.”

                _Thuunnkkk. Crkk._

“Angeal?”

                “Don’t open the door.”

                Marlene pulled her back another step.

                “What’s wrong?”

                “I don’t know, but we really shouldn’t open the door. That’s the feeling that I have.”

                _Th-th-thunnkk… Crkkk. CRK!_

                Flinching, Gillian drew away from the door with Marlene behind her. What had first sounded like a solo knock now sounded as if someone were knocking and dragging something sharp along the door. The sound continued for several moments later before abruptly dying off. Marlene stepped out from around her, expression perplexed.

                “What’s wrong now?”

                “It’s gone.”

                “Huh?”

                “It isn’t there anymore.”

                “How can you tell sweetie?”

                A small shrug.

                “I don’t-”

                Marlene’s sentence ended suddenly and she whirled around and grabbed ahold of her, dragging her to the door with all the strength her little body had.

                “Mar-”

                “Get out! Get out now! Hurry!”

                Marlene yanked the door open moments before a splintering sound broke the air behind them and as the little girl pulled her through the doorway she looked back. A beige and lime tinted creature hunched over her now broken table, bent in half to fit inside the house. Before she could get a good look at it, Marlene stumbled and almost took them both down to the ground.

                “Marlene?”

                “Ow, my ankle still hurts!”

                She remembered the girl mentioning it earlier, and instinctively bent down and picked her up in her arms. Not knowing where to go, she was about to run through the deserted village when several houses down from them a creature identical to the first one materialized. This time she could tell it was humanoid in shape, but grossly misshapen.

                Turning, she carried the girl from the village and headed for the orchards. The girl surely wasn’t heavy, but trying to carry her and run at the same time was difficult.

                “I can run!”

                As they broke into the trees, she sat Marlene down and knelt down in front of her.

                “Marlene, can you really run?”

                “Yes!”

                “Then keep running as fast as you can in this direction, then go that way once you break out from the orchard. I’m sure you’ll come to where the villagers have fled the area – there are certain to be stragglers.”

                “Huh? What about you?”

                Glancing back over her shoulder, Gillian said, “My son left his honor with me. I’ll be damned if I let some monster so much as knock it over!”

                “You can’t!”

                “Believe in me, sweetie. I raised Angeal Hewley, First Class SOLDIER! I couldn’t call myself his mother if I couldn’t keep what he entrusted to me safe!”

                She turned to go but Marlene latched onto her hand.

                “He- he also brought me to your house, didn’t he?”

                Gillian hesitated.

                “That means he entrusted me to you too, doesn’t it?”

                _This child…_

“Be-besides! Maybe he entrusted you to me! Now come on, please! If you get killed I’m sure your son will never get over it! Dying for something is never as great as living for it! If you’re sad, don’t die! Dying will only make everyone else sad too!”

                She hesitated for a moment more, caught.

_This could be how I obtain retribution for what I’ve done… But no, this little girl is right. I’m the adult here – it is my duty to look after her._

“Yes, let’s go.”

                She grabbed her hand and together they hurried through the trees. Marlene stumbled every few steps, especially as Gillian led them in the direction of the clearing she’d spoken of. As they were running, from ahead someone burst out from the trees ahead and Gillian drew to a stop in dread before she recognized the young man.

                “Gillian?”

                “Angeal’s Puppy, right?”

                His eyes were as wide as saucers as they hurried over to him. She took ahold of his arm as she said, “There is a strange monster in the village. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

                “Monster?”

                A new voice spoke and out stepped a man in a suit. The little girl at her side gasped slightly, eyes widening. When the man noticed her he blinked in confusion.

                “Yes, a monster. I don’t know what kind it is – but it can teleport.”

                “Teleport?”

                “Please get rid of it. I don’t want any of the villagers coming back and getting attacked.”

                The Turk’s face darkened as Zack’s paled.

                “That’s…what I was coming back for – Gillian – Banroa is….”

                He looked so immeasurably guilty Gillian felt her heart freeze. He couldn’t seem to get the words out. It was the suited man who finally spoke.

                “An air strike has been issued on Banora, to stop the rogue SOLDIERs who have been sighted here and eliminate them at all costs.”

                Gillian felt her blood go cold.

                “What…?”

                “You must evacuate the area immediately.”

                “N-no! No, this is my home! My home, Angeal’s home, and Genesis’ too! If you destroy this place then…”

                The suited man shook his head.

                “There is no point in trying to reason with me. I am not the one calling the strike – it will happen regardless of who is or isn’t here. Zack was on his way back to the village to evacuate you when we came across each other. We have fifteen minutes until the air strikes gets here – leave the area immediately unless you wish to be caught up in it too. Zack, your direct mission and personal mission has been completed. Now it’s time to get out of here.”

                Gillian felt filled with a cold rage, but bore it down. She could yell and demand things change but they wouldn’t – she knew that much. Instead she released Marlene and grabbed ahold of Zack with both hands.

                “Fine, but I refuse to let Angeal’s honor get tarnished. Please go back to Banora and make sure his Buster Sword doesn’t get blown away!”

                Some might have saw it as an idiotic request, but Zack proved he believed in the powerful morals and virtues his mentor did because his expression became dead serious. Taking her hands, he nodded.

                “Leave it to me!”

                “Zack!”

                Letting go, Zack began jogging on his feet as he turned back to Tseng.

                “Don’t worry about me, Tseng! Just put Gillian and the child on the chopper. I’ll make sure to get out of the blast range in time, I promise!”

                “Zack we can’t-”

                “Yes we can! She’s an innocent woman, and that’s an innocent child! Put them on the chopper!”

                Gillian expected the suited man to argue, but he stood there stiffly for a moment before sighing.

                “Just remember, less than thirteen minutes now!”

                “Gotcha! Thanks, Tseng!”

                With that, Zack took off at a full sprint and disappeared in moments. Gillian held Marlene’s hand again and turned to the Wutainese man.

                He sighed, and seemed to have a hard time looking at the little girl – almost as if thought he recognized her. Marlene was staring at him intently, small frown adoring her lips.

                “Mrs. Hewley… Zack thinks he knows best for your safety. What do you believe?”

                _My safety…?_ An unease was steadily feeling the air.

“I am Angeal’s Mother, and know Genesis as well… If I go to Shinra I will become a hostage, won’t I?”

                “Yes.”

                “If I tried to run away, would I succeed?”

                The man’s face was expressionless, but she could sense his discomfort.

                “You wouldn’t.”

                Gillian looked back to the sky.

                “You’re destroying the town…only the…town?”

                The silence that answered was deafening. Her hope of sending Marlene out to meet the other villagers quelled at once. She held the child’s hand tightly. She decided then and there…if nothing else, she would protect her.

                “If I come quietly, and speak nothing of this to Zack, will you _swear_ to me this child will not be harmed? Will you take her to Midgar and entrust her to safe hands? She isn’t from Banora, and she is only just a child who got separated from her family.”

                Tseng looked down at Marlene, expression stoic. Finally he nodded.

                “I won’t mention her in my report, and I’m certain Zack will personally take an interest in her well-being. That’s just the kind of man he is.”

                “Gillian…?”

                Gillian looked down at the child, watching brown eyes frown in worry. The little hand squeezed hers tightly.

                “Everything is going to be okay, sweetie. I promise.”

 

.

 

.x.x.X.x.x.

 

.

 

Angeal   ::   Deserted Banora Village.

 

                “Your Ma is safe, ‘Geal.”

                Those words took a heavy weight off of his chest, as did seeing his apprentice. When he’d come back home and saw the damaged interior of the house, he’d feared the worse – especially when he saw no sight of his mother or the little girl who had been inside.

                “The girl?”

                “She’s safe too.”

                Zack suddenly squinted.

                “What?”

                “I was just wondering if you were related, but she doesn’t look like you or Gillian.”

                Slightly exasperated, he explained, “Is that really what you’re thinking of at a time like this?”

                “Oh… OH! Yes, Angeal man, you’ve got to leave! An airstrike is coming here! We probably have ten minutes or less right now.”

                “An air strike, huh… So it has come to this…”

                “Angeal…”

                “The morrow is barren of promises… But nothing shall forestall my return.”

                Zack flinched and saw on top of the Hewley House Genesis was perched, looking over the orchards. Glaring, Zack said, “You need to beat it too.” Unsurprisingly, Genesis ignored him. He was far too focused on scanning the area for the monsters that must have come this way.    

                “Zack, have you seen any renegade SOLDIERs around here?”

                Puzzled, Zack scratched his cheek.

                “If I did, I would have taken them out, since that’s why I’m here and all…”

                “That’s not what I meant. I’m asking _have_ you seen any?”

                “Well, uh, no… Saw some weird monsters though.”

                He frowned and added, “Actually I have a few questions about those.”

                “Save it, Puppy.” Genesis put his hand on the hilt of his sword, frown increasing. “Do you know what did this to Gillian’s house?”

                Obviously not wanting to answer, Zack crossed his arms and said, “Gillian said it was a monster she’d never seen before – but since there _is an impeding airstrike_ on the way – didn’t really go into details about it besides saying it teleported.”

                “Teleported?” Now Genesis faced Zack. “I see… That explains it, doesn’t Angeal?”

                “It does.”

                “Explains what, ‘Geal?”

                Angeal wanted to explain what had happened, but Zack was right. Time was of the essence now. No matter what happened with the company, Angeal didn’t want his protégé to get harmed in the fallout.

                “Zack, leave the area. Genesis and I can avoid it when it comes…”

                “But Angeal-”

                “Listen to your mentor, Puppy. There are creatures about here who have proven they can rip SOLDIERs apart. It is likely only Angeal or myself will be able to beat one… Because of that, you aren’t needed here any longer. Your reunion with Angeal can take place at another time.”

                Glaring, Zack turned to Angeal desperately.

                “Come on, Angeal… Please, come back.”

                _You always have such an earnest expression, Zack… I always knew you could be trusted… Though I’ve also always feared that trust would be your undoing._

He headed over to Zack and clapped a hand over his shoulder.

                “We’ll meet again, Zack… I know it. So please, for now… Get to safety. Get my mother and that child away from here so I don’t have to worry. I’ll only trust this task to you.”

                “Angeal…”

                “Go, Zack.”

                Unhappily, Zack rubbed the back of his head and sighed. Straightening, he said, “Fine, I’ll go…for now. But Angeal, mark my words.” He pointed his finger at his mentor, eyes determined. “I’m going to bring you home…! I promised your mother after all!”

                Unable not to, he smiled.

                Zack nodded, having said his piece, then spun on his heels and sprinted away and disappeared into the orchards. Angeal turned to Genesis as he jumped down to stand beside him.

                “You realize Gillian will be used as a hostage against you, don’t you?”

                “That’s why I trust her to Zack… If she has to be a hostage, I want her to be under his care.”       

                “A double hostage situation, then?”

                “It’s better than them being harmed… We should go. Those creatures aren’t here any longer, and we won’t be either if that airstrike gets here before we clear the area.”

                “A pity, you didn’t show the Puppy your wings.”

                “I have a feeling he’ll see them someday.”

                “As do I. Now come, if the monsters teleport then they’ll be hard enough to track without the place getting blasted into hell… Besides, I have an odd feeling Hollander might be with them and the SOLDIERs.”

                “You think he’s behind this?”

                “Definitely not… In fact, what scares me the most is that we don’t know what’s going on. I feel as if someone has changed our script.”

                “Script? You think our destines are already written?”

                “Of course… Our destinies go down the LOVELESS path… Which is why, I’m incredibly pissed off. Who is working against the Goddess’s design?”

                Glowering, Genesis took to the air and after looking over his childhood home for the last time, he followed after. They searched for a trail in the air, discovering one and then leaving the destruction of their hometown when it came heralding down from the skies.


	5. Envoys Are Set

Tifa :: Seventh Heaven.

 

                …it was mid-evening when Tifa was just considering opening the bar. Her thoughts had been scattered over Barret’s last phone call – how the kids and Cloud were late – and when her latest shipment was going to arrive. She was considering giving Cloud a call to ask what the kids wanted to eat tonight but couldn’t bring herself to. She’d rather ask him personally, even if she knew it meant they’d all request something that would have her rolling her eyes. The thought was making her smile when she reached out to grab another glass to dry when it shattered beneath her finger tips. Pausing, she stared at it quietly for a few moments as an uneasy feeling settled in her stomach.

                Tifa flinched slightly when she heard the frantic banging on the front door. Frowning, she sat down her drying towel and walked towards the door purposefully. Opening it, her eyes drifted down to rest on a little girl with dirt smudged on her brow.

                “Please!”

                Kneeling down upon seeing the tears in the girl’s eyes, she asked, “Hey… Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

                Tifa had taken in numerous kids in the last several months and helped them find temporary shelters and homes with WRO. One – Denzel – was even staying with them now, having refused a couple who’d asked him if he wanted them to adopt him. Seeing her, Tifa immediately scanned her over with what was second instinct – trying to gauge how thin she was and how dirty – to see if she had, unfortunately like some children, yet to find someone to take care of her.

                The little girl sniffled, wiping at her eyes.

                “Please!”

                She tugged Tifa’s arm insistently, as well as her heartstrings, and after a moment Tifa stood up and let the girl lead her from her bar, shutting the door behind her.

                “Tell me what’s wrong, okay? I’ll come with you.” She tried to be as soothing as she could, because the young girl looked like she could burst into tears at any moment.

                _She’s little, but she’s not asking to come inside._

                Nodding in relief the little girl whimpered, “I was playing with some kids and part of The Plate fell! Their trapped under the rubble and told me to run here!”

                Alarmed, Tifa hurried off the porch.

                “Where are they?”

                “Follow me!”

                She took off running, and Tifa followed right at her heels as worry gnawed in her belly. Could it be Marlene and Denzel or some other kids who’d briefly stayed with her…? She reached into her pocket as she ran and speed dialed Cloud. Around to the left and down a few blocks they ran, and still Cloud didn’t answer. She had really thought he’d been so much better at answering his stupid phone…

                “Follow me, follow me!”

                They ran to where some old rubble was, and then into a bit of a clearing between demolished stone. Tifa took in her surroundings and stopped immediately.

                The little girl ran a few more feet before looking back at her with teary eyes.

                “Hurry! Please!”

                Cautiously, Tifa reached into her pocket and pulled her gloves on.

                “….”

                The little girl sniveled as she bit her bottom lip and took a careful step back. Her little face was lined with fear and guilt as she stared back at her.

                Then fearfully, she mouthed, “ _Sorry!_ ”

                Brown-red eyes roved the area before Tifa quickly commanded, “Run away. Now.”

                With a nod, the little girl turned and bolted.

                Just as quickly as the girl had turned and run for it, a bullet lodged into the ground where Tifa had been standing moments before. Perched on the stone behind her she spotted the shooter, about twenty yards away. The shooter had a flowing white cloak that obscured their form and face.

                Glaring, she demanded, “Who are you?”

                “….”

                “Not talking, huh? I’ll guess I’ll have to beat it out of you. Using a little girl… What a sicko!”

                She had realized the trap the moment the girl had turned to go to the already collapsed rubble and away from anything that could have possibly have fallen recently. This was close to where Cloud trained Denzel and Marlene on occasion – a place he had guaranteed was safe from debris and even smoke if the rest of the Midgar Plates fell.

                They raised their strange gun-blade again and fired. Spinning around, she ran to the next rubble heap and planted her back against it for cover.

                _That weapon…_

                It was long range, and had good reach for melee. She’d have to get in close if she wanted to finish this guy off. It was a good thing she always carried a Haste and Heal on her at all times. A piece of stone fell and bounced off her shoulder as she prepared to move. With a gasp she looked up and saw the end of the sword barrel in her face.

                _How…_

                Rolling to the side she missed the blast by a moment to spare and didn’t have time to cast. Leaping up into the air she wound her fist back to deliver it into his solar pollex.

                The blade came up and she punched it aside, seeing a knick of blood spray across her arm. No stranger to combat, she kicked his feet out from under him before he could recover and he fell with a hiss. Tifa instantly leapt down with instinct, already preparing a round house kick to his face.

                Only immense pain exploded across her abdomen. It was so concentrated she thought she’d taken a direct hit by his gun but to her amazement, she saw it was his fist. She flew back and tumbled down a rock formation, twisting in mid-air and just managing to land on her feet. Immediately she went to stand up but gasped and staggered, clutching her stomach with a grimace as she tried to figure out not only how he’d had managed to recover so quickly, but how he’d hurt her so badly with only one strike.

_He’s… He’s fast – and that strength… He’s not a normal –_

                When she looked up something shattered against her forehead and a thick purple mist enveloped her before she could pull away or do more than wince.

                She lost her footing and was suddenly cast into the vortex of smoke and wind. Trying to right herself got her nowhere and she was violently carried away. Somewhere in her mind, or maybe in the funnel of energy around her, she thought she heard someone’s voice.

                “You aren’t like the other two sent away. I can only wonder what it is she thinks…you can do.”

 

.

 

.x.x.X.x.x.

 

.

 

Cloud   ::   Junon Tower.

 

                _Well that was certainly annoying._

Making his way up here had taken longer than he would have liked, and despite trying to avoid the majority of the battles taking place, several different times RAVENS and SOLDIERS a-like attacked him, though it ended up being the former more often than the latter.

                Now he’d finally made it to the top of the catwalk by scaling and leaping his way up the tower to get away from all the in-fighting. What he was witnessing now was something extraordinary.

                A young woman was taking on Sephiroth, and of all things, she was holding her ground. In the last few minutes she’d seemed to slow and weaken, but the fact remained – she fought at Sephiroth’s speed and strength. They appeared to be talking now. Cloud was certain he’d heard of this woman somewhere, but couldn’t recall.

                Eventually she turned and left, and Sephiroth didn’t pursue her – instead he seemed to be contemplating. Not long after two SOLDIERs arrived – possibly thinking to be backup to the man, or to give him information. Cloud felt increasingly disturbed. For one, Sephiroth should have noticed him already. He wasn’t trying to conceal his presence, and Sephiroth _always sensed him_ when they were near each other.

                Keeping a wary vigilance of his nemesis, Cloud pulled out his phone. He wasn’t surprised to see it was soaked through, but it was still a nuisance to add to the list. He still didn’t know what was going on. It made sense to think this was all a delusion in his head, but it was the longest one he’d ever experienced…and he still had a horrible feeling nothing around him was fake.

                As he was about to put his phone away, it crackled. He looked down at it as the screen lit up and blue electricity briefly surged through it.

                “C _l_ o **u** d? **C _a_** n _y **o**_ u h _e **a** r **m**_ e?”

                “Ah?”

                _I know that voice… Where have I heard it before? Where…_

“Shelke?”

                “ _na_ l **ly** …o **u** n _d_ y **o** u… Co _n_ ne ** _ct_** …a **d**.”

                Cloud raised the phone to his ear.

                “Shelke? Hey-”

                “We must meet. T _im… **In da**_ **n** g…!”

                “Shelke, I can’t hear you! Where are you?”

                “Nib…iem!”

                “Nibelheim?”

                “ **U _r_** _gen **t…** ti…”_

The blue sparks disappeared and the phone short circuited.

                “Dammit…”

                _If that was Shelke, then this isn’t just a mind game. Something really weird is going on… Why am I not surprised it’s at Nibel…?_

                He put his phone away and realized he let his guard down. He turned and saw the SOLDIERs on the canon – including Sephiroth – were aware of him now. They must have turned back to the catwalk while he was distracted.

                “Just peachy.”

                Glowering, he turned from them and leapt off. It came to no surprise to him that he sensed Sephiroth following him not long after. He hurried ahead, knowing Sephiroth would likely just sense him and cut him off but still trying to buy time. There was too much he didn’t know to go blindly swinging just yet. He needed a plan…or at least an advantage right from the beginning. Leaping onto construction beams, he moved to plant his back against one. If by the off chance Sephiroth wasn’t sensing him, he’d ambush him. He peaked around his shoulder as he felt Sephiroth walking into view down below. His sword was still out, neutral so far…but Cloud knew how quickly that could change from experience.

                He appeared to be puzzled the slightest bit, but his eyes were sharply scanning the entire area. Moments continued to tick by, and Cloud narrowed his eyes.

                _He isn’t sensing me… Another weird thing to add to the list._

Eventually, Sephiroth seemed to relax and turn to go, but without warning he dropped down to one knee and clutched his head. Cloud watched, shocked at first, but then he flinched and gasped too as horrible pressure entered his head. He saw white for several seconds and almost fell before steading himself. When he could bare to regain his sight against the white hot flashing pain in his skull, he saw a creature standing over Sephiroth. It was a chalky white and ten feet tall – humanoid in shape, with misshapen shoulders and ghastly ‘hole’s where its face should have been.

                Cloud was certain he’d seen just about every variety of monsters there were in this world, and he’d never felt such aching pain or dread upon seeing one like this. Even the WEAPONS, which inspired fear and terror and awe, didn’t leave such a constricting bile in his throat.

                Before he could comprehend what was happening or how it had even appeared, it slammed its swollen arm down toward Sephiroth – who in a hasty move brought his sword up to block the strike. The force proved too great – and he never thought he’d think those words against Sephiroth – for the man went tumbling back ungracefully. He rose quickly back to one knee, but couldn’t seem to regain his footing. One hand stayed clenched against the side of his face.

                _What the hell is happening here!?_

Frustrated, Cloud watched the monster disappear and reappear behind Sephiroth. The man was prepared this time and spun and countered the next strike, and leapt away to avoid the following. He still had a hard time regaining his feet, swaying uneasily. If Cloud was affected from this height he could only imagine what Sephiroth was feeling – even if he absolutely didn’t want to.

                _I should let it kill him, take care of him for me…_

He kept thinking it, but even he doubted this creature could kill Sephiroth no matter how much it had him on the ropes. Sephiroth had this terrible tenacity for refusing to die easily, and then refusing to _stay_ dead.

                The smart thing to do would have been to leave while he was distracted, or at least stay hidden while they fought each other… But the sneaking suspicion he’d had for a while now refused to go away. If anything, it continued to grow every moment.

                “…I wish someone was here to tell me not to.”

                With an angry sigh, Cloud leapt further up along the beam, to the top of the construction site. He judged the hanging beams around him for several moments before judging the distance and the force he would need. If the creature was able to give them such a disability and then teleport… The playing field needed to be evened.

                Leaping further from the fight, Cloud drew the Fusion Swords and made them into one. Planting his feet, he kicked off as hard as he could – denting the metal under him. Flying through the air he cut the cable containing the iron beams, kicking off and flying past a second time. As the beams were falling, he leapt off from the same spot as before and flew through the air and knocked the beams upward.

                With a spin, he separated the sword into two and swung and batted the beams towards the battle before repeating the process over again on another set of beams. He heard a distinctive cry of agony his second time, and leapt back to his perch to watch the proceedings.

                The iron spears were embedded all along the ground. The monster had obviously teleported once it had noticed what had happening, but now bore an iron beam through its chest. It gave a ghoulish wail as it fail to its knees, and Cloud watched as Sephiroth regained his footing – having avoided and deflected the beams away from himself – and slashed Masamune in a great arch that finished the monster for good.

                Immediately the pressure in Cloud’s skull receded, and he was certain the same was for the man below. After making certain the creature was truly dead, Sephiroth turned to gaze upward at him.

                _Here’s where the true test begins._

Keeping his swords ready at his sides, he descended with a light jump, landing near soundlessly at the beginning of the construction site. Sephiroth continued to observe him, eyes assessing his every movement – certainly the way Cloud looked at him.

                Finally, he spoke, “It would seem you have assisted my men and myself here today. We are in your debt.”

                The calculated response was all Sephiroth, but the graciousness was definitely a new persona… Or that of an old one if Zack’s memories were correct.

                Which really cinched the answer into his mind in a place where he couldn’t ignore it… This man was Sephiroth without a doubt – not a clone, or a Sephiroth puppet – but the real Sephiroth…who without any explanation, had no idea of who Cloud was.

                The prospect should have been a great one, but the implications…were more terrifying than Cloud wanted to try and cope with.

 

.

 

.x.x.X.x.x.

 

.

 

Shelke   ::   Nibehiem Mansion.

 

                Resisting a sigh of exhaustion, Shelke bowed her head.

                “I’m finally out of the Mako tank again… Yet I’m still this weak… Finding Cloud, talking to him, and now having trekked up this mountainside… I’ll collapse at this rate.” Not for the first or last time, she wished she could have gotten Vincent out from the beginning.

                _Getting Vincent would be the obvious answer. The Nibel mansion is where he’d still be locked away… But my scanners tell me the monster guarding the key to his door is strong enough to wipe me out the way I am now, and I don’t have a reliable enough charge to use my invisible barrier. The Mako at the Mansion is only of a diluted variety. If I’m going to have a chance of getting back to full strength, I need to go to the reactor. There’s also probably a better direct connection with the web here. I was only able to find Cloud because I knew his number and sensed him when he got sent here too. But now it’ll be more challenging – I’m certain his phone didn’t survive my channeling._

The outside of the reactor was intimidating as always, but she reminded herself it wasn’t places that she needed fear but the people who resided inside them. With that in mind, she went inside to the central vault. At once she noticed the pods. Going to one, she jumped and managed to grab the ledge and pull herself up.

                “Ah… These are… Yes, failed specimens that led up to making the prototype, to making Sephiroth…as powerful as he is now.”

                She dropped.

                “The Mako exposure is so high in those vats that _I_ may not even survive being submerged in them for long. I have definitely got to find an empty one and adjust the formula…”

                Seeing the pods around her, there was bound to be at least one empty one…and if there wasn’t, she could always make one empty.

                Shelke went over to the console and saw it was heavily coded. No doubt the code had been in the several numerous notes and transcripts she’d browsed through in the Mansion in her own time when she and Vincent had returned there. She’d even glanced at a few of them before contacting Cloud in this time line.

                “I could try to hack and unravel the passcode with my ability, but that’ll only make me weaker… Let’s see… That Professor was a genius, but his work is always hidden nearly without a trace… Because of that, he’s an arrogant man – the password would be an obvious term to him but mean nothing to someone else... Nine characters… Sephiroth? No, that’s a little too obvious even for him… Specimen… No, that won’t fit… It would be something Sephiroth will be expected to figure out one day – planted information… Sephiroth would only figure out about it and come here when he would want to learn everything about… Yes, let’s try that… _Project S_.”

                **PASSWORD CONFIRMED**

As the console loaded, she immediately went to the reactor controls. To the far side of the room one was listed as empty.

                “Perfect.”

                She added the formula of Mako that she’d been handling best for treatment, and put in the time for when it would fill up the chamber. Giving herself plenty of time, she got on the web and decided the obvious course. She needed to find everyone sent here into the past, reach out to them and let them know what was going on – who sent them all here and why. To do that… She was going to need someone who could help her reach everyone. There was only one truly good answer, and she had a strong feeling he’d be very, very interested in her story about the planet.

                Shelke took fifteen minutes to carefully write the letter, encrypt it and hide it so no one monitoring the system would detect it. The only person who would be able to read it and reach her would be the receiver, Reeve Tuesti. It did a good job of getting his attention, she was certain. If the first part didn’t pull him in, nothing would.

                As she sent it she heard the chamber give its minute peep. It was time to submerge and recharge her body once more. Hopefully this time she could be useful enough to make a difference next time. As she approached the pod she was surprised by the bemoaning that took up the reactor suddenly.

                The creatures inside the pods began to all thrash around one by one, and Shelke felt the cells in her body start to lightly hum. A feeling of dread began to overcome her – something horrible was coming into the reactor.

                Hurriedly she moved to the console and once assured everything was set, logged out and put the computer back on standby. She rushed to the pod and got inside as Mako began to get released. Before too much could spill over she shut the body door and hunkered inside as it filled up, quickly submerging her.

                As she safely became immersed in the Mako, she stood up and moved to the oval window facing the computer console.

                _Did I trip an alarm? No, I’m sure I didn’t. Maybe the reactor is currently being manned – or maybe there’s just an inspection now of all times…_

                What she saw when she looked out made her blood run cold. Standing calmly before one of the vats containing the thrashing mutated monsters was the perfect monster himself – Sephiroth.

 

.

 

.x.x.X.x.x.

 

.

 

Denzel   ::   Sector Slums.

 

                “I’m warning you, I will shoot you.”

                “Shit, calm down lady!”

                “Let go of him right now.”

                Denzel stumbled as one of the guys who had ahold of him shoved him forward, before putting his hands back in surrender like the other three.

                “Elfe may be gone right now, but what do you think gives you the reason to act like this? Harassing some poor boy like kidnappers!”

                Her features grew darker.

                “I hate kidnappers… It would be best if I just put you all out of my misery.”

                “Shit lady – don’t shoot! We were just acting on orders, nothin’ more!”

                “Orders? Whose orders?”

                “Fuhito. He- He just said that he wanted the boy brought in – don’t know what for… We just got rough with him because he broke Hayner’s nose and all…”

                “Fuhito, huh? Whatever, just get out of my sight before I fill you with holes. If I find you guys lurking around this boy again I’m not going to let you explain yourselves, you get it?”

                “Y-yes!”

                Denzel wiped his bleeding nose as the men slowly dispersed and left. Only after they’d gone did the strange woman’s arm go back from a gun, to well – an arm.

                “Th-thank you…”

                It was hard to look at her. Her bust was showing, and her skirt wasn’t very long. His face felt hot and red. She didn’t make matters better when she bent to get a good look at him.

                “These are some bad bruises, but you’ll heal up… It’s late – where’s your family?”

                “…I don’t know.”

                “What?”

                “I don’t…know. We got separated.”

                Her expression softened at once.

                “Then come with me.”

                “Huh?”

                “I’ll take you back to my place and get you patched up and fed. First thing in the morning I’ll help you find who you lost.”

                Denzel looked at her in surprise – wary instinctively.

                “You’re about nine, aren’t you? I…lost my sister last year… She’d be a little older than you now. I’m trying to find her you see, so… Whenever I hear someone is trying to find their family, I want to help them.”

                “Oh… I hope you find her. My name’s…Denzel.”

                “Denzel? I’ll have to say it a few times so I don’t forget. My name’s Shaula. What are you doing here out in Sector Six?”

                “I was trying to go to a place where I might have found the people I lost, but… I couldn’t get there. I ended up having to run here, but they still caught me.”

                “Okay. Well, your arm looks pretty banged up. I’m a biologist and not a doctor, but I don’t think it’s broken.”

                “If it is and has to come off, can I get an arm like yours?”

                She smiled then. Sadly.

                “One like mine, huh…? Wouldn’t you like a normal arm?”

                He shook his head.

                “No – if I had one like that… I could protect the things precious to me.”

                “I can understand that, but it looks like you’ll be alright. I have potions back at my place that’ll fix you right up – not really a fully stocked fridge, but there’s edible stuff there. Do you think you can trust me?”

                “Yeah. You don’t seem like a bad person.”

                “That’s good. You don’t seem like you’ll mug me of my Gil, so I guess I don’t mind betting on the fact you won’t.”

                That amused him, but not enough to smile.

                “Come on, then.”


	6. Past Burns

 

Zack   ::   The Slums   :: Sector Five.

 

                “I promise, everything will be okay!”

                Marlene glanced up at him as they walked but remained silent and unengaged. Rubbing the back of his neck, Zack continued trying to think of a way to cheer her up.

                “Gillian is going to be fine.”

                Marlene looked away then.

                “Seriously, she’ll be fine. They’re just going to hold her for questioning, but she’ll be free before you know it. You don’t want her to come back to find you moping do you?”

                The girl stopped, face still sullen. She seemed even more depressed the longer she looked around.

                “What’s the matter? Is it scary being in The Slums? I promise the nice lady I’m taking you to isn’t scary at all, and she’s the kindest woman on this planet.”

                “Midgar is whole.”

                “Whole? What do you mean?”

                “Do you know of a place called Edge?”

                “Edge…? Ehh, no, can’t say I ever heard of it.”

                “….”

                Her shoulders fell and she turned away from him.

                “Hey, I don’t really know your story sweetie, but-”

                “Don’t call me sweetie! That’s what Gillian and Mama call me!”

                Abashed, he scratched his cheek before squatting down beside her.

                “I’m sorry, Marlene. You see… Um… I like kids a whole lot, I mean after all everyone says I’m just a big kid – but I guess I’m not good at talking to kids because I don’t know how kids talk to each other, y’know? I’m out of practice.”

                Turning to him, Marlene scoffed her boot in the dirt silently for a few moments.

                “You’re a SOLDIER, aren’t you?”

                “Huh? Uh, yeah. Second Class SOLDIER Zack Fair, the one and only hero extraordinaire!”

                His pose seemed to amuse her some, enough to get a tiny smile out of her. She continued scoffing her boot for a few moments before looking back up at him.

                “I didn’t think there were any more SOLDIERs besides Cloud.”

                _I wonder what she means by that. Maybe she means she’s never met another one before?_

                “Cloud? Can’t say I know the name.”

                She looked offended as she said, “You don’t know Cloud?”

                “Uh, ehehe, sorry? Is Cloud your friend?”

                “Yes. Mm. Cloud is my good friend.”

                “He’s that person you kept trying to call earlier, isn’t he?”

                “Mm.”

                “Well if he calls back I’ll make sure you hear of it first thing.”

                “Promise?”

                “Promise! A hero’s promise can never be broken.”

                “Then don’t break it or you aren’t a hero.”

                He nodded. “Exactly! Now, ready to go? We’re almost there.”

                “Kay.”

                She walked alongside him again, continuing to look around. Her gaze would linger every now and again, and she’d get suddenly depressed, but something else would cheer her up again. As they approached the church her expressed turned sweet and she hurried ahead.

                “Oi, wait up speed racer, haha. I need to see if she’s inside.”

                He stepped into the church, keeping her just behind him. He spotted her immediately, but it wasn’t until they were halfway down the aisle she noticed him. She stood up and looked at him, beaming and as beautiful as always. It made him feel anxious and guilty to have to play on her kindness.

                “Hey, I know this is sudden _but_ …”

                Before he could finish the little girl sprinted past him in a blur and threw her arms open. Surprised, Aerith caught her in an affectionate hug.

                “Aerith! Aerith, I’ve missed you!”

                Zack crossed his arms and cocked his head to the side, curiously lost. Aerith was delighted, but giving him the same look in return. Gesturing to the little girl, he asked, “Um…have you met each other before?”

                “Uh… No? Hello.”

                “It’s me, Aerith! Marlene! I used to have shorter hair, remember?”

                Aerith tilted her head all around, but still seem puzzled.

                “I’m sure I’d remember a cutie like you, but um… Hmmm…”

                “Surely you haven’t forgotten about me!”

                She sounded close to tears.

                “What about Tifa, and Cloud? Daddy – everyone… We, we…” Tears started swelling in her eyes and her voice choked as she sniffled, “We… We missed you so much…when you went away. Nobody could braid my hair as well as you could when it was so short – and now Tifa does it and she’s amazing with it… She wanted to show you – I wanted to show you… I wanted to show you so much, Aerith. I’ve really, really missed you.”     

                She buried her face into Aerith’s white dress, still sniffling. Aerith stroked her hair, obviously moved by the little girl but quite clearly just as puzzled as Zack was.

                “Hmm… You said I braided your hair the best?”

                She tugged on the one in her hair, lightly touching the pretty ribbon in it.

                “This one looks a little too tight.”

                “It is. A woman named Gillian did it. She tried really hard, but it doesn’t feel right.”

                “How about I put your hair up for you then?”

                “You will?”

                “Mm.”

                Smiling, Marlene turned and let Aerith begin untying the bow from its knot and undoing the braid. She looked to Zack as she giggled, “So… What’s going on Zack? You don’t expect me to believe this is your cute little sister or something do you? Because she’s far too cute to be related to you.”

                It took him a moment to answer because he had to shake himself out of his stupor. The little girl and Aerith looked a lot alike – they could be mother and daughter… It was endearing to see, and he felt like he was swooning a little too openly. Trying to regain his composure, he started with, “Well you see…I have a tiny favor I need to ask…”

 

.

 

.x.x.X.x.x.

 

.

 

Tifa   ::   Snowy Landscape.

 

                “Ugh…nm…ah?”

                Tifa sat up, grimacing.

                “Where…am I?”

                She was lying in nothing but a snowy field. Slowly, she picked herself up, trying to remember what had happened. There was a man…a fight… Some strange gas or smoke… She fell and landed well, but got dizzy from the hit she’d taken and had to take time to recover.

                _I still can’t believe one strike did this much damage to me… I really underestimated my opponent this time. That was…dare I say it, Sephiroth level power. There’s no way this can be good._

As she tried to orientate herself, she pulled out her phone and dialed Cloud.

                “ _This call cannot be completed as dialed…_ ”

                “What? Cloud did you let your phone die now of all times…?”

                She tried Barret.

                “ _Error, this call cannot be completed as dialed… To talk to a representative at Shinra Electric Power Company push one._ ”

                “Well, that’s something I haven’t heard in a while… I must be out of range.”

                Pocketing her phone, she grimaced again and felt her stomach.

                “First things first.”

                She casted Heal.

                “Much better. Now, secondly… Where am I? It must have been a Warp or something… Though I’ve never heard of one being used to send someone to a completely different location. I’ll have to call Yuffie about this.”

                As her senses started to settle, she frowned as she started recognizing the mountain ranges not far off, or the forest that started only yards from her.

                “No, that’s…impossible. There’s no way someone could… That’s definitely mount Nibel – which means…I’m not far from Nibelheim. It would be in…this direction? Ah.”

                She stepped forward through the snow, bringing her hands up to shield her eyes.

                “Is that…smoke?”

                A familiar horror settled over her gut. She started running through the woods, leaping over fallen trees and dodging the numerous monsters who popped out – or the few that did. As she ran, she noticed only a small fraction of the monsters that normally inhabited these woods. Something was truly wrong.

                Eventually she came out from the woods and ran to the top of hill overlooking Nibelheim. Her hand moved to her mouth.

                “By the planet…! No, why!?”

                _Of all the dreadful things, why is Nibelheim burning again!?_

                There was nothing to protect of the false town – no more family, or relations… It was all fake now, but watching it burn once more was sickening all the same.

                At least, that’s what she thought until she heard the genuine cries of terror rising from the town, and saw the fleeing people screaming for help as _something_ materialized on top of the water tower. Its bellow was loud and deafeningly. The beige-green creature howled, then disappeared and reappeared behind the tower – with a terrifying heave and the noise of breaking structures, the water tower bent awkwardly over and nearly toppled.

                Hands clenching at her sides Tifa felt rage fill her bones.

                “Watching helplessly once…was more than I ever wanted to feel…! I won’t let this happen for a second time!”

                She charged down the hill, picking up speed and rushing past the people fleeing from town. She activated Haste as she approached the water tower, and as the monster had turned from her to terrorize a crouching figure, she yelled and spun to kick the creature with the back of her heel in its skull. It crashed forward with another desolate moan.

                Looking over the figure with hands raised in surrender, she screamed, “Get out of here!” Then turned back to the threat – who’d already vanished and reappeared behind her. Haste saved her from damage, and she turned to release a furious barrage of fist and palm-strikes all along its chest as a counterstrike.

                “ _You’ll regret what you did here!_ ”

                The monster pulled back its taloned fist and then disappeared. Instinct saved her from the following strike, and she dove to the right, kicking her heel upward and clipping it in passing. It was so large, but yet teleporting gave it numerous advantages that made the deadly creature more than lethal. Without a mastered Time that could use Haste, she definitely would have taken a strike by now.

                Then came the blow even Haste couldn’t save her from. She shielded herself with her arms and went flying, slamming into the water tower and hearing it groan alongside her. She hurriedly flipped off as the monster struck the tower again.

                _I’m not pulling my punches but it’s still coming at me with full force... What a terrifying creature. It’s near as hard as a WEAPON is… but I bet it doesn’t have the health of one!_

Inspiration struck, and Tifa leapt under the water tower’s shadow, using her enhanced speed to its full potential. She waited to the very last second – just when the creature disappeared to move and leap straight into the air, leaving the baffled monster behind. She casted Stop on the beast in the air and then focused. Blue aura surfaced around her and Tifa brought her leg back and gathered energy as she soared downward toward the bend of the tower.

                “HYAAAH, _WATERKICK!_ ”

                Limit break activated and struck the tower with a water elemental physical strike, and slammed the tower down on the creature with its full force and weight – where water inside the tower crashed down on the monster simultaneously.

                Landing feet away with her fists still raised, she panted and eyed the scene critically. Surely with that weight and force with an elemental attack…

                Her theory proved true. The monster laid unmoving, buried under the water tower’s weight. With a sigh of relief, Tifa lowered her hands and looked across Nibelheim. Now the monster was no longer terrorizing the town, but it was still burning.

                _I needed the water tower to take down the monster before it hurt anyone else, but now… What do I do? How can I put the fires out –”_

Tifa crashed into the ground and rolled across it with a yell, finally coming to a halt on her back, left fighting for even a small breath.

                _AUgh, wah, ah, ah…_

Unable to catch her breath, she rolled off her back, finding the ground slick with her blood. On her arms and side, she gasped in shock.

                _This familiar pain…_

Looking up through her disheveled hair, there he was.

                “Se- _Sephiroth.”_

He had that taunting grin on his face.

                “Really, to let your guard down when this place of all places is burning… You should have known better.”

                “You…! _Damn you…!_ ”

                “I wonder… What look of despair will Cloud have…when he finds your remains hanging here in town?”

                Sephiroth raised his blade to strike her down. Tifa tensed, knowing it would do no good and there was nothing she could do in time – but then, Sephiroth paused and glanced up toward the reactor. Moments later his eyes narrowed.

                “Is Cloud here…? No, it would seem not. I see… I missed something. Clever little traitor…”

                Ignoring her entirely, he turned and walked away, past the dying and burning town of Nibelheim – for the second time. Tifa watched him go toward the reactor for the second time, and for the _second time_ , she felt the helplessness she still hated.

                Reaching, she activated Heal as her vision tunneled.

                _Don’t lose consciousness… Stay awake… Don’t………._

 

.

 

.x.x.X.x.x.

 

.

 

Shelke   ::   Nibelheim Reactor.

 

                The once human creatures writhed and cried out in agony as their pods opened and they were exposed to air for the first time in who knew how many years. They thrashed and screeched for a short time, before one after the other they shriveled up and died.

                “I’m sorry. Please return to the Lifestream… Your suffering is over now.”

                _I still don’t understand what exactly were on those files Sephiroth received, but…_

She looked down at the drive in her hands, containing the numerous documents she’d copied over and saved before erasing and destroying the computer in the reactor.

                _I know it involves some sort of assimilation with these creatures and SOLDIERs to make something horrific and dangerous for everybody. This must be what they were talking about – damaging the past early on to damn the future of this time and our own…_

Putting away the drive for now, she looked around the room before focusing on the sealed room JENOVA was inside of.

                _She must be destroyed, but I lack the means currently… No pieces can be left behind – everything has to be destroyed and nothing can remain or she’ll make the Lifestream sick again._

It left a bad taste leaving JENOVA here, but for now she wasn’t the threat. Sephiroth was – and whoever he’s been plotting with. She knew this much for certain.

                _The smartest thing to do now is get Vincent, and get out of Nibelheim. It sounded like Sephiroth would be calling those creatures already formed and setting up operations here for now, since this town is so remote… I have to let the others know of this at once._

Surveying her handiwork once more, she hurried from the reactor and down the pass before recognizing the familiar hum in her veins. It was stronger now that she was energized again.

                _I can’t waste any time. This time he’ll sense me for certain._

It was reckless and dangerous to try and get to the Mansion taking the cliffs the way she was, but time was of importance. Even so, no matter how fast she traveled, and even when she activated her cloaked barrier, she could still _feel_ him coming.

                _He knows where I’m trying to go… I just pray he doesn’t know why._

With her barrier on, it was simple to get to the vault and open it and retrieve the key. With her power back, she was even able to fight off the monster. She finished it off with her limit break and then ran back to the stairwell. She dropped down to the bottom and rolled to get back on her feet. Then it was a simple matter of sprinting to the closed off basement, to Vincent’s door. Letting herself inside, she went immediately to Vincent’s coffin and banged her hand alongside it.

“Vincent! Vincent, wake up right now! Vincent!”

                The coffin cracked open not long after, and then as she moved back Vincent’s gauntlet came into sight and pushed the lid off.

                “Who…” His voice was rougher than she remembered – certainly from disuse. “comes to wake me? I don’t know who you are…”

                “Vincent, my name is Shelke. This is going to sound sudden, but I need you to come with me immediately.”               

                Crimson eyes took in her glowing ones, and the odd suit she wore before he shook his head. “I don’t know how you know of me, but I am not fit to follow anyone anymore… Nor do I want to. Leave me.”

                She hadn’t expected him to be so reluctant – had been praying he’d be curious enough to comply, or tired enough to not really consider saying no.

                “I promise you after you come with me, you can do whatever you want – go to sleep in another coffin even – but you cannot stay here! You’re in grave danger!”

                “Anyone near me is in danger. I’ve already given you my answer.”

                He laid back in his coffin.

                “Go now.”

                “Please, Vincent, I _need_ you to listen to me!”

                “Do not need me for anything, child. You won’t like where it gets you.”

                Her fists clenched and she helplessly didn’t know what to do. She could only, ironically in her desperation, wonder if this what Vincent felt like the first few times they’d met – where she was less like a person and refused everything that wasn’t an order or factual.

                “But you saved me Vincent! You don’t know about it, but you did! You saved me once, and I’ll explain everything to you but _we have to leave._ The most dangerous man in this world is coming here to kill me as we speak – and I’m certain he’s going to kill you too. We have to leave!”

                Vincent sat up suddenly and she hoped she’d reached him somehow, but he was staring past her at the doorway. Standing there, arms crossed leisurely, Sephiroth smiled.

                “So that’s what interfered… A little Deepground agent, sent to sabotage Mother’s dream.”

                He stepped passed the threshold, now fully blocking any hope of escape. Shelke stepped back from him, unable to speak. She’d never met him in person before – _Sephiroth_ – but he was more terrifying than she’d imaged…and he didn’t even have his blade drawn yet.

                “Surely you knew… You wouldn’t get away with this unpunished, Shelke The Transparent.”

 


	7. HIATUS

                Hiatus.

                It always sounds like such a bad word to me, because nobody likes to hear it. Nobody wants to see it. But unfortunately for a little while Lost Pieces will be this way. Yeah, I know, it sucks. But a friend of mine, who knows all about how the story ends, was…‘displeased,’ to put it lightly, by how I only glanced at my story’s flowchart and changed what went down in Banora.

                She went on strike against being my friend unless I rewrote it the ‘correct’ and ‘better’ way. So yeah. A rewrite of that scene is coming, but I think majorly besides those events everything else will stay about the same. The reason I haven’t gotten around to it is because of writing Bitter Honey Sugar Sweet right now, and my new time travel fic The Rescripted Acts. (Also Sephiroth/Cloud)

                Still, the point is Lost Pieces is on pause to make it a better story. It could be on pause for just a few days more, or a month or so. I’ll try not to make any promises that’ll be lies, but I **will** come back to it. I have waaaaay too much work and time invested into Lost Pieces to give up on it. I also loved writing it.

                So with sincere apologies and best hopes, I ask you to be patient with me while I continue on with my other FFVII works. I simply just don’t want to try rewriting it again until I have the right mindset and muses speaking to me – otherwise you’ll get bad content and really late updates. So for now bookmark this story or remember it is stored on a shelf, but in the works.

                Thank you for reading this and your understanding!

 

 

 

                Updated as of May 20th.

                So my friend was right. (No, she didn't make me write that, but she did make me write this) I rewrote the Banora scene and from there other parts too. I am much happier with it as it is now, so I’ll post this at the beginning of chapter one when I get this fanfic going again. (still in the works after some bantering and debating on the first ten chapters) A rewrite happened, like it had on my fanfiction account, only this one stays pretty level.

                Personally I’m just glad I could change the story around before I got too far into it. I think you’ll forgive me for changing it around a bit when I get it updated on here. It really is better now.

                As far as when I get this going again… Not sure. I’ve been writing on it lately despite thinking I wasn’t going to. I guess I suck at hiatuses. (Lol) I hope you really love Lost Pieces when the story gets chaptering up again. So for anyone who is patiently waiting, thank you.


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